NATO - Jean-Yves Le Drian to attend Foreign Ministers meeting (1 June 2021)

Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian will virtually attend today’s meeting of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs. This meeting is focused on preparing the next NATO summit, to be held on June 14 in Brussels.

During this meeting, the Minister will stress our ambition for the June 14 summit, which will be the culmination of the strategic reflection process undertaken by the Transatlantic Alliance at our request in December 2019.

He will underscore our commitment to an Alliance rooted in values, principles and rules that serve as the essential basis for strengthening cohesion among Allies. He will reaffirm the primary responsibility of each Ally for national defense assets that are collectively robust, flexible and responsive. This commitment, which was already central to that of the Allies at the Wales Summit in 2014, constitutes the foundation and the best guarantee of a revitalized, rebalanced transatlantic relationship thanks to improved burden-sharing within the Alliance. A stronger European contribution to the Transatlantic Alliance is vital to achieving this.

Finally, the Minister will note the need to continue adapting NATO in light of the toughening of its strategic environment. Given the current tensions with Russia, the Minister will emphasize the importance of a posture of defense and realistic, responsive deterrence, as well as the revival of a coordinated arms control effort by NATO that must enable us to bolster strategic stability in Europe.