- Published: 15.05.2022.
Informal meeting of NATO foreign ministers
On the first day of the meeting, the ministers discussed Finland and Sweden’s NATO aspirations. They were joined by Finnish and Swedish foreign ministers, who reported on the developments in their countries concerning national security and future relations with NATO.
The second day saw the ministers discussing Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and its impact on European security. They voiced strong support for Ukraine in its just and defensive war against Russia’s invasion. Grlić Radman recalled the visit by a Croatian delegation led by Prime Minister Plenković to Kyiv on 8 May, during which it was reaffirmed that the political, diplomatic, humanitarian and military assistance to Ukraine would continue.
The ministers also focused on the new Strategic Concept, aimed to prepare NATO for an effective response to threats and challenges of the next decade. Croatia underscored the importance of collective defence, which remains the key purpose of the Alliance, as well as the necessity of cooperating with partners to strengthen security in the Euro-Atlantic area. Grlić Radman pushed for NATO’s stronger engagement in the Western Balkans, an area of strategic interest, underlining the need to support reforms in the region. In that context, the minister underlined the need to support changing the election law of Bosnia and Herzegovina in a way that reflects true equality of the three constituent peoples in line with the Dayton Agreement.