Estonian president: EU needs joint foreign, security policy
The security and foreign policy of the European Union needs to be uniform, President Kersti Kaljulaid said during a meeting with Slovakian President Andrej Kiska in Bratislava.
"For the sake of the future of Europe, member states of the EU must remain uniform in the changed security situation and post-Brexit era," Kaljulaid was quoted by spokespeople as saying.
"The EU must focus on cooperation between member states and common goals — this is the only option to emerge stronger from the challenges that Europe is facing," she continued. "I am happy to state that as EU member states and members of NATO, Estonia and Slovakia share a similar understanding of the security situation in Europe and contribution to defense-related cooperation."
Slovakian President Andrej Kiska praised Estonia's decision to dedicate 2.2 percent of GDP toward national defense this year.
The two heads of state also discussed the impact of the withdrawal of the U.K. from the EU and concluded, together, that close cooperation between EU member states and the U.K. must continue even after the latter has left the union.
While in Bratislava, Kaljulaid also participated in the Globsec international security forum, where she participated in a panel discussion on the future of Europe alongside Slovakian Minister of Finance Peter Kažimír, former Polish Prime Minister Jan Krzysztof Bielecki, Jacques Delors Institute director Yves Bertoncini and State Secretary of the Slovakian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs Ivan Korcok.
Bringing together opinion leaders in European foreign and security policy as well as politicans and representatives of think tanks, Globsec is the most high-level security forum in Central Europe.
Editor: Aili Vahtla
Source: BNS