NATO – Jean-Yves Le Drian’s participation in the ministerial meeting (Brussels, 4-5 December 2018)

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Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian is taking part in the Meeting of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Brussels today.

During this meeting, the ministers will discuss the main developments in the area of European security since the NATO summit on July 11 and 12.

  • Jean-Yves Le Drian will express our concern about the future of the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty between the United States and Russia, which contributes to Europe’s strategic stability.
  • With respect to the Kerch Strait, the minister will express our desire to ensure that the parties contribute to easing tensions and engage in a de-escalation process, as well as our attachment to the freedom of navigation in the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait. This notably requires the release of the prisoners and the return of the vessels captured by the Russian authorities.

Jean-Yves Le Drian will reaffirm the importance of trans-Atlantic ties and European defense, the ongoing revitalization of which should allow Europeans to assume greater responsibility in order to more effectively contribute to an equitable burden-sharing of trans-Atlantic security.

He will hold bilateral meetings with his Ukrainian and Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia counterparts:

  • With Pavlo Klimkin, Jean-Yves Le Drian will discuss the situation in the Black Sea. He will notably express our desire to ensure that the Minsk Agreements are fully implemented and that efforts to resolve the crisis in eastern Ukraine continue within the framework of the Normandy format. The two ministers will discuss the strengthening of our bilateral relations and our economic cooperation.
  • With Nikola Dimitrov, Jean-Yves Le Drian will reaffirm our full support for the entry into force of the agreement signed in Prespa on June 17 between Athens and Skopje and the country’s accession to NATO. The ministers will also discuss the European perspective and the development of our bilateral relations, marked in particular by AFD’s forthcoming intervention in the Western Balkans countries.