The Western Balkans remains an area in Europe in which there is malignant influence from external factors and where security risks still exist. The region should remain in NATO’s focus, Macedonian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade TimchoMucunski said after participating in the two-day NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Helsingborg, Sweden.
As part of the meeting, views were shared on multiple current global and security challenges with an accent on the preparations ahead of the NATO Summit in Ankara, due in July, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade said Saturday.
Discussions focused on the implementation of the decisions adopted at the 2025 NATO Summit in the Hague, most notably on rising investments to modernize defense and defense capacities and full and effective implementation of the commitment as part of the Defense Investments Plan. Participants pledged to meet them in order to enhance collective defense and deterrence capacities of the Alliance.
FMMucunski conveyed the priorities and activities of the government to meet the joint commitments from the Hague Summit with an emphasis on strengthening national capacities by increasing defense financing so as to improve the country’s contribution to NATO’s collective defense efforts.As regards the joint efforts to strengthen collective defense and deterrence, Mucunski underlines the importance of further development and modernization of the defense industry by increasing defense production and modernizing industrial capacities, being a vital priority for stronger Europe as part of a stronger NATO.
Regarding Ukraine, The Macedonian FM reaffirmed the continuing support of his country and the importance of providing continuity and predictability of the assistance in parallel with the efforts for finding just solution to the war conflict.
