N. Panagiotopoulos: Every country should be interested in what is happening on the other side of the Alliance

NATO’s new strategic doctrine is a comprehensive approach, where each NATO ally is directly interested in what is happening on the other side, on the other wing, from south to north, from east to west. This was stressed by the Minister of National Defense, Nikos Panagiotopoulos, in his speech at the central session of the 15th annual Baltic Defense Conference in Tallinn, Estonia, on the new strategic vision of NATO.

“The essence of our alliance,” underlined N. Panagiotopoulos, “is how we united as states united by a firm commitment to the principle of democracy. We united in a military alliance that focuses mainly on defending our territorial integrity.”

“A threat to one of us is a threat to all of us,” he said. “This should be the meaning of the new strategic doctrine.”

“Today,” he continued, “more than ever, authoritarian leaders and countries seek to increase their power by adopting revising and aggressive strategic attitudes and policies, attitudes that run counter to international law and threaten transatlantic interests, as well as regional stability, such as Baltic Sea region or the Eastern Mediterranean.

He spoke in support of the US Alliance, but said that maintaining some independence was not the answer to NATO.

“NATO must prepare for a long struggle in its relations with Russia by adopting a consistent dual approach. On the one hand, we must use our resources efficiently to deliver a credible, well-balanced approach,” he added. proportionate and sustainable response to Russia’s aggression “.

“On the other hand,” said N. Panagiotopoulos, “the full and rapid implementation of the agreed NATO defense and deterrence stance to counter Russia’s strategic implementation efforts should be complemented by a substantive dialogue with Moscow, in order to avoid misunderstandings, miscalculations, and unintentional escalation “.

“Apart from the threat of international terrorism, the alliance is increasingly confronted, not only with a return to tangible geostrategic competition, but also with evolving and pervasive threats and challenges,” said the Greek Minister of National Defense. .

“Some of them,” he continued, “are the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the dangers to maritime security, the intensity of international organized crime, the smuggling of weapons and people, the hybrid threats, the use of agents in military conflicts, the violation of international law and the security challenges arising from the climate crisis and migration flows and especially their instrumentation, as we saw on the northeastern border of Greece with Turkey in Evros last year, the Spanish enclave of Ceuta and, of course, as we see in the Lithuania – Belarus “.

“We must be very determined and direct, taking a stand and taking collective action, to prevent state actors from instrumentalizing migration or refugee flows for economic or geopolitical benefit,” he said.

“The new strategic doctrine,” said N. Panagiotopoulos, “should contain a clearly integrated political vision for international security and its complications, with a clear set of strategic objectives, to defy the nature of medium- and long-term threats and challenges.” to identify the options that the Allies consider most effective in addressing these threats and challenges, and to recognize their interconnectedness, while incorporating many of the principles of previous have lost their significance “.

“In an interdependent world,” he said, “we must all work to achieve greater security for our citizens. History has repeatedly shown that the path to progress, security and prosperity goes through international law.” and respect for the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. All on the basis of good neighborly relations. ”

“Greece remains a stable ally and pillar of reconciliation and security in the Eastern Mediterranean and especially in the southern wing of NATO, in the fluid, unstable and unpredictable security environment we face,” said the Greek Minister of National Defense.

“The security of one is the security of all. This fundamental principle creates a solid framework for cooperation and the maintenance of peace and security in the North Atlantic and Europe,” N. Panagiotopoulos concluded.

Source: AMPE