SLOVENIA, September 28 - In the discussion on further military assistance to Ukraine, Minister Hajdinjak emphasised that continued support for Ukraine and the strengthening of European defence preparedness are closely linked. Slovenia has supported Ukraine since the start of the war and is involved in providing assistance within the framework of the European Union, the EUMAM mission and NATO, as well as through various initiatives to provide military aid to Ukraine.
“Our objective must remain clear – we must enable Ukraine to defend itself effectively and deter further aggression. Support for Ukraine must remain predictable and coordinated,” Minister Hajdinjak emphasised.
He also recalled his recent visit to Ukraine, where he discussed with his Ukrainian counterparts further support, the strengthening of military cooperation and, above all, opportunities for closer cooperation between the defence industries. According to the Minister, there are opportunities in this area for specific projects and mutually beneficial cooperation.
A significant part of the meeting was also devoted to the implementation of the Defence Readiness Plan up to 2030. Minister Hajdinjak emphasised the need to move from plans to concrete results. In this regard, he highlighted the need to address key gaps in defence capabilities, strengthen the European defence industry, and foster closer cooperation among Member States in capability development and joint procurement.
“Slovenia will participate in this as a responsible and reliable member of the European Union. We are working intensively on the modernisation of the Slovenian Armed Forces, thereby contributing to a more capable, better-prepared and safer Europe, which successfully complements NATO,” said Minister Hajdinjak.
At the meeting of the Steering Board of the European Defence Agency (EDA), Minister Hajdinjak emphasised the importance of the Agency as a partner to Member States in strengthening defence capabilities and achieving defence readiness objectives by 2030. Slovenia supports the further strengthening of the EDA, whilst expecting, above all, more practical support for member states, faster procedures and concrete results. The Minister also highlighted the need to remove administrative barriers, strengthen European production capabilities and ensure better conditions for the integration of small and medium-sized enterprises into the European defence industry. He emphasised that the development of European defence capabilities must take place in close cooperation with NATO and without unnecessary duplication. In his view, a stronger EDA must help Member States to translate greater defence investment into concrete capabilities, and cooperation into results and capabilities that translate into actual defence readiness.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Minister Hajdinjak met with the French Defence Minister, Catherine Vautrin. They discussed bilateral relations between the two countries in the defence and military fields.
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