In a report dated 10 June that was sent to EU Member States, the European External Action Service (EEAS) felt that the war in Ukraine had intensified dialogue between the European Union and the Atlantic Alliance.
“Political dialogue at all levels has further intensified, demonstrating NATO and EU unity and our common resolve in condemning Russia’s war of aggression and in expressing full solidarity with Ukraine”, explains the EEAS. Moreover, cooperation mechanisms between the two organisations were also strengthened “to support coherence and mutual complementarity of efforts in responding to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine”.
While the EU and NATO are considering a third joint declaration (after those of Warsaw and Brussels), the EEAS has taken stock of how the 74 proposals for common action have been implemented.
According to the diplomatic service, in this “new strategic context”, the long-standing EU-NATO partnership “continues to make tangible progress, demonstrating and reinforcing the strength and solidity of the transatlantic bond”.
“In the course of the past year, the two organizations further consolidated their mutually reinforcing cooperation”, adds the EEAS. It notably highlights progress in political dialogue as well as the diffusion of common messages and the continuation of well-established political consultations.
Furthermore, “agreed cooperation work strands continued to deliver concrete results”. The EEAS cites, among others, the new structured staff dialogue on resilience; cooperation on strategic communications and countering foreign information manipulation and interference; efforts aiming to ensure the coherence of output between NATO and EU defence planning processes where requirements overlap and between capability development efforts; continued exchanges through the structured staff dialogue on military mobility; and staff interactions dedicated to Ukraine that focus in particular on critical infrastructure protection, humanitarian assistance, and hybrid, cyber, and CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear) aspects.
The EEAS also believes that the adoption of the EU’s ‘Strategic Compass’ in March and the adoption of NATO’s next Strategic Concept, set for the end of June, offer a “unique opportunity” to further strengthen coherence and synergies between the two organisations. In its view, both staffs remain steadfastly determined to use the 74 proposals for common action to their full potential and to “further enhance, deepen, and expand our mutually beneficial cooperation”.
See the report: https://aeur.eu/f/23k (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)