United Kingdom: A meeting of NATO foreign ministers has been scheduled in Brussels to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the alliance’s inception.
During the meeting, the UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron is expected to reinforce the message that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is currently at its strongest, most united, and most relevant state. In light of Russia’s ongoing illegal war against Ukraine, Lord Cameron will emphasise the importance of continuing to support Ukraine.
Cameron will also encourage NATO Allies to participate in British-led initiatives to purchase NATO standard missiles and munitions for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as Ukraine is now closer to NATO than ever. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Allies earmarking to fund at least 2 percent of their GDP for defence spending at the NATO Summit in Wales.
The Foreign Secretary, at an event jointly hosted with the Royal United Services Institute, will honour NATO’s advancements since 2014 and motivate Allies to spend more on defence, step up backing Ukraine, and increase defence industrial production. All Allies are in agreement that Ukraine will join NATO and the UK will continue to perform towards guaranteeing that significant steps are taken towards membership.
David Cameron said that, “75 years after its creation, we are celebrating a NATO that has never been stronger or more important, especially following Sweden’s accession last month. With Ukraine closer to NATO than ever, we must sustain the critical support Ukraine needs to win the war. Allies need to step up and spend more on defence in the face of continued Russian aggression and a more dangerous world.”
The UK’s politician is set to greet Swedish Foreign Minister, Tobias Billström, as Sweden officially joins the NATO alliance, following their historic accession last month. In light of Russia’s assertive behaviour, Sweden decided to halt their 200-year neutrality, indicating that the Alliance would evolve more powerfully in its goal of collective defence in the Euro-Atlantic region.
NATO is readying itself to confront the challenges of an increasingly unstable world, and in doing so, the United Kingdom is strengthening its alliances with various countries in the Indo-Pacific, such as Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea. These nations will be present at the conference. Additionally, the EU will attend the Foreign Ministers’ Meeting to engage with NATO on shared challenges, which will allow NATO to continue bolstering its longstanding association with the EU.