NATO Foreign Ministers in Brussels on Middle East, Ukraine and Strategic Challenges, Minister Tajani to Participate

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani he was on a mission to Brussels il 3 4 and December to participate in the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Atlantic Alliance.

On the agenda of the meeting, chaired by the new Secretary General Mark Rutte, also at the Italian request, the first session was dedicated to the Southern Neighborhood, in the presence of of King Abdullah II of JordanAt the center of the discussion is the situation in the Middle East and the commitment to reach a path of peace in the region.

“After the Cairo meeting, it is important that the situation in the Middle East is also addressed within the framework of the Atlantic Alliance,” the minister indicated. Tajani. “We are very concerned about the stability of the region and the possible repercussions on the civilian population, including in terms of migration. Dialogue with Arab partners is essential to achieve peace. In this regard, we hope that NATO will now pay greater attention to the Southern Neighborhood, fully implementing the Action Plan for the South, adopted at the Washington Summit,” continued the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The meeting continued with a discussion about Ukraine and on the ways to ensure the support for Kiev to continue to defend itself from Russian aggression, now aggravated by North Korean involvement, with a view to reaching a just peaceMinister Tajani reiterated Italy's full support for Ukraine also as G7 Presidency, as confirmed at the Ukrainian Minister Sybiha on the occasion of the recent Ministerial meeting in Fiuggi-Anagni.

The Ministers discussed the strategic challenges for the Alliance, also in the perspective of the NATO Summit in The Hague in June 2025. “Our commitment must be to maintain the Organization as a pillar of our relationship with the United States, to respond to the growing threats to transatlantic security. In this perspective, it will be essential to also increase NATO-EU synergy, especially for the European defense industry”, he underlined Tajani. In his speech, the minister asked for maximum attention to the situation in Western Balkans, also in light of the recent explosion that affected the Zubin Potok water structure in Northern Kosovo.