site.btaBulgarian Defence Minister Takes Part in Informal EU Defence Ministerial in Brussels

Caretaker Minister of Defence Atanas Zapryanov participates in an informal meeting of EU Defence Ministers in Brussels on Friday. The agenda will focus on strengthening the Union's defence preparedness by increasing defence funding and filling the defence capability gap using EU instruments, his Ministry said.

EU Defence Ministers will receive an update on the developments at the frontline from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence, the EU website for the event says. They will also review the progress made in providing military support to Ukraine. Ministers will address EUMAM Ukraine and the next steps, progress in the mobilisation of the revenues stemming from immobilised Russian assets (“windfall profits”) for the provision of military equipment to Ukraine, Member States led initiatives, and further cooperation with NATO, in light of the outcome of the Washington Summit.

The ministers will also discuss operational commitments under the Common Security and Defence Policy and the Union's defence preparedness. The challenges in the Red Sea, EUNAVFOR Operation ASPIDES and the situation in the Middle East and North Africa region will be on the agenda. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg as well as representatives from the United Nations and the European Parliament are expected to attend the meeting. Ministers will look into prospects for the development of the EU Satellite Centre.