On 6 May, the ALDE Party and Renew Europe group hosted the first-ever FAC (Defence) meeting in Brussels, bringing together the Defence Ministers of our political family. The meeting was chaired by Renew Europe Vice-President Michal Šimečka (Progressive Slovakia, Slovakia).

The Ministers discussed and shared views on the items on the Council agenda, with a specific focus on the crisis management aspect of the Strategic Compass, an initiative to give the EU a common strategic direction on security and defence in the next 5 to 10 years. Moreover, they also discussed relations with Russia, including the situation in Ukraine and Czech Republic, relations with China and other current affairs.

List of participants:

• Kalle Laanet, Minister of Defence (Reform Party, Estonia)
• Antti Kaikkonen, Minister of Defence (Keskusta, Finland)
• Michal Šimečka, MEP and Renew Europe Vice-President (Progressive Slovakia, Slovakia)
• Nathalie Louiseau, MEP (LREM, France)

This morning, liberal defence ministers met ahead of today’s #FAC @EUCouncil to discuss common challenges for security and defence in 🇪🇺 and beyond. @anttikaikkonen @MoD_Estonia @RenewEurope @MSimecka @NathalieLoiseau @DominiqueRiquet pic.twitter.com/96TOTtWarR

— ALDE Party (@ALDEParty) May 6, 2021