Minister for Defence Pål Jonson to receive EU defence ministers in Stockholm

As part of the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, EU defence ministers will gather for an informal meeting comprising three sessions: one on EU military support to Ukraine, followed by a session on current affairs and then a conclusive working lunch with UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

Sweden’s Minister for Defence Pål Jonson and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell will co-host the meeting.

EU military support to Ukraine in focus

On Tuesday 7 March, the EU defence ministers will kick off the meeting with an informal dinner.

The meeting will continue the following day with a session on EU military support to Ukraine. The commanders of the European Union Military Assistance Mission Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine) will take part in this session and provide an update on the training of Ukraine’s armed forces. A representative from Ukraine will also participate in parts of the meeting. The defence ministers will also discuss procurement of artillery ammunition in support of Ukraine.

In the second session, the defence ministers will discuss current affairs, including EU military operations.

The meeting will conclude with a third session in the form of a working lunch together with UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

A joint press conference will then follow at 15.00 in which Minister for Defence Pål Jonson and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, present the conclusions from the meeting.