On November 16–17 a workshop on Reshaping the EU’s Security and Defence Agenda in the Eastern Neighborhood addressed the need to adapt the Eastern Partnership security and defence policy to the reality of Russia’s war in Ukraine, to assess the adjustments necessary due to the EU candidate status conferred on Ukraine and Moldova, and to propose new ways for a wider EU involvement in the security policy implementation in the Eastern neighborhood.
The workshop was attended by Eastern Partnership representatives from Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, also representatives of the EEAS and EU member states and the academia.
The discussions addressed the various aspects of partnership with the Eastern neighbors. “The European Union has to plan ahead and to focus on its defence industry more. At the same time, we need to continue the assistance to Ukraine, not only in its fight against the Russian aggression but also as an EU candidate,” Defence Policy Director at the Ministry of National Defence Vaidotas Urbelis.
The workshop was attended by digital means by Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine Oleksandr Polishchuk who thanked for the humanitarian, military and diplomatic assistance. “It is necessary to make sure that once a country receives a candidate status, it has a clear direction for its following steps. There has to be priorities and strategy for the future,” said O. Polishchuk
The workshop was co-organized by the Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of Lithuania, the European External Action Service, Lithuania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Eastern Europe Studies Centre.
Photo credits: MoD / Sgt 1st Class A. Čemerka and K. Kavolėlis
