Northern group defence ministers met in The Hague
Defence ministers of the Northern Group security and defence policy forum held a meeting in The Hague on 6 June. Among other things, ministers discussed the security policy situation in Northern Europe.
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During the Northern Group meeting, defence ministers discussed among others the security policy situation in the Baltic Sea and the North Atlantic.
Photo: Jasper Verlome
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Peter Hultqvist and his colleague Ank Bijleveld-Schouten.
Photo: Jasper Verlome
During the Northern Group meeting, defence ministers discussed the security policy situation in the Baltic Sea and the North Atlantic.
– There is a common understanding on the security policy development in our neighbourhood and the importance of cooperation between the countries to meet existing challenges, said Peter Hultqvist after the meeting.
The Defence ministers also discussed future exercises, the relationship with Russia, military mobility and the NATO Summit in Brussels in July. Also updates regarding national defence planning was presented at the meeting.
The meeting was hosted by the Minister of Defence of the Netherlands, Ank Bijleveld-Schouten. During their last meeting in Helsinki in November 2017, ministers agreed to create a rotating chairmanship and a standing agenda for future meetings. The Netherlands chairs the Northern Group during the first half of 2018 and Norway during the second half.
The Northern Group
The Northern Group was initiated by the UK in 2010 and comprises the Nordic and Baltic states as well as the Netherlands, Poland, the United Kingdom and Germany. The Northern Group meets twice a year on defence ministerial and defence policy director level respectively as well as at vice chief of defence level once a year.
