Minister Svetlan Stoev participates in the meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers
01 June 2021 News
The Minister of Foreign Affairs Svetlan Stoev participated in the meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers, which was held on June 1, 2021 through a secure videoconference. Discussions focused on the NATO 2030 adaptation process and preparations for the upcoming June 14th summit in Brussels.
"Decisions on the NATO 2030 process will determine the future direction of the Alliance in the next decade, and their successful implementation depends on our political will, unity and solidarity," said the Bulgarian Foreign Minister. He added that only in this way can we ensure effective deterrence and defence in response to current and future security challenges.
In his speech, Minister Stoev pointed out that we should continue the implementation of already agreed decisions on NATO's previous presence, while working to strengthen our capabilities for deterrence and defence. In this regard, he stressed the added value of the Bulgarian proposal to host the Regional Maritime Coordination Presence in Varna.
Svetlan Stoev stressed the importance of deepening the NATO-EU partnership. He pointed out that the decisions on NATO 2030 should confirm the validity of the Alliance's "Open Doors" policy, which contributes to stability and security in the Euro-Atlantic area and beyond.
Relations with Russia, as well as developments in Ukraine and Belarus, were also discussed. The Bulgarian Foreign Minister stressed the importance of the Alliance's unity in response to Russia's destabilising actions, including in the Western Balkans, and called for a stronger commitment to security and stability in the region.
Among the topics of the meeting was NATO's future cooperation with Afghanistan following the completion of a Decisive Support Mission over the next few months. Bulgaria stressed the need to preserve what has been achieved so far and reaffirmed its commitment to the security and stability of Afghanistan.