Defence Minister, Lord Howe, met counterparts at the European
Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels today. He reaffirmed the UK’s
commitment to European security and highlighted the role we play
as a global foreign policy and security actor.
Defence Minister, Lord Howe, said:
“We are leaving the European Union but not Europe, and regional
security remains top of our agenda in the face of increased
Russian assertiveness.”
“With challenges to our common security becoming more serious,
our response must be to work together more closely.”
Lord Howe discussed the important role the UK plays in European
security matters as we prepare to exit the European Union, and
highlighted our commitment to the region as a leading member of
NATO in a session attended by NATO Secretary General, Jens
Stoltenberg.
He reiterated that the UK is unconditionally committed to
maintaining Europe’s security in the face of an unprecedented
range of internal and external threats to the safety and security
of our citizens, from international terrorism to cyber threats.
This follows the meeting of NATO Defence Ministers in Brussels
last week, attended by Defence Secretary, , in which he committed
four RAF Typhoons to the Southern Air Policing mission in Romania
next summer as well as a Battalion that will be held at high
readiness to respond to any situation in the Western Balkans.
