The European Union and

NATO

have signed a bilateral declaration of partnership, which will define the cooperation between the two organizations for the coming years.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, President of the European Council Charles Michel and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen took part in the signing ceremony held at the Alliance headquarters.

This declaration was the first in the last five years.

This is stated in the message of the Alliance.

According to the declaration, the EU and NATO decided to focus on the growing geostrategic rivalry, sustainability issues and the protection of critical infrastructures.

Other priority areas of work will include new and disruptive technologies, space, the security implications of climate change, foreign interference and information manipulation.

Commenting on the signing of the declaration, Stoltenberg emphasized the importance of cooperation between NATO and the EU in the context of changes in the security situation after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. 

"Now it's more important than ever. ... President Putin wanted to seize Ukraine in three days and divide us. He failed on both counts," Stoltenberg said at a press conference.

Stoltenberg called on EU and NATO countries to increase aid to Ukraine

Stoltenberg emphasized the importance of supporting Ukraine, including additional weapons.

"Weapons are actually the way to peace (in Ukraine - ed.)," the NATO Secretary General emphasized.

The Secretary General of the Alliance emphasized the need to strengthen the partnership between the EU and NATO.

Stoltenberg also noted that the partnership between NATO and the EU "will become even more important as soon as Finland and Sweden become full members of NATO." 

"With their entry, NATO will protect 96% of citizens in the European Union and a larger part of the territory than ever before," he said.

In addition, the Secretary General urged allies to invest more in defense, help eliminate dependence on authoritarian regimes, and defend freedom and democracy.

Earlier, 

the Secretary General of NATO predicted how long Russia's war against Ukraine would last and named the conditions for peace

.

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