Press conference

Prime Minister Sobotka, President Junker its an honour to share a platform with you here in Prague. Prime Minister I wanted to take this opportunity to thank the Czech Republic for being a strong member of NATO. You have made a strong commitment to the Alliance and President Junker I welcome the continued cooperation between the European Union and NATO. I cant agree more with your words a few moments ago.

Prime Minister, your armed forced are well known for their professionalism and dedication and we truly appreciate it in the NATO Alliance. Czech troops serve with distinction in Afghanistan with our Resolute Support Mission. They also contribute to NATOs KFOR peacekeeping operation in Kosovo.

Last month in Brussels NATO leaders took important decisions on improving burden sharing in the Alliance and on stepping up the fight against terrorism. NATO is now a formal member of the global coalition to defeat ISIS. Allied leaders also decided to report annually on national plans setting out how allies intend to meet the defense investment pledge that we all made together in 2014. And I welcome that the Czech Republic plans to increase its investments in defense.

President Junker, NATO and the E.U. are indeed stepping up their cooperation. NATO and the E.U. have jointly endorsed 42 specific measures to do more and they are being implemented. Working together can help us to face threats in the hybrid arena, cyber threats, many of the newer types of threats and problems that we are grappling with today. NATO welcomes plans for greater E.U. investment in defense. A European defense fund will help to develop new military capabilities, improve cooperation and reduce duplication. Stronger European defense means a stronger NATO. NATO is ultimately the guarantor of Europes collective defense and the Trans-Atlantic bond remains the bedrock of European security. Allies from North America and Europe now have troops serving together in battle groups across the Baltic States and Poland. Two of these battle groups are led by the United States and by Canada. They demonstrate the enduring strength of the Trans-Atlantic bond. And I welcome the recent U.S. budget proposal to significantly increase their presence in Europe with more troops, infrastructure and exercises. Its a strong signal of Americas continued commitment to NATO and to European security. And from Norway and Iceland in the north, to Turkey in the southeast Europeans rely on non-E.U. States to keep them safe.

Stronger E.U. efforts in defense are to be welcomed but anything the E.U. does must complement and not compete with what NATO does. And as we face a more uncertain world close partnership between NATO and the E.U. is essential. So, gentlemen I thank you very much and I look forward to your questions.

ROSE GOTTEMOELLER (NATO Deputy Secretary General): Perhaps if I could add a word on this matter as well. I think that the Presidents mention just now of 2014, that is a watershed year for a number of reasons. Its the year that Russia seized Crimea, its also the year that we saw the rise of ISIL and their seizure of Mosul. And it was in that very year that NATO at the Wales Summit adapted the, adopted rather the defense investment pledge. So, I too want to stress that this matter of raising the commitment to national defense expenditure and to coherent and prioritized defense acquisitions is a matter that was really embraced by the NATO Alliance in 2014 as well and is absolutely nothing new that can be dated to November of 2016.

Q: If I may, another question for Mrs. Gottemoeller if this cooperation, if this appears this close cooperation of certain member States of the E.U. how does that go together with, or where does NATO stand on this? Thank you.

ROSE GOTTEMOELLER: So, I always like to remind everyone that 22 members of the E.U. are also at the same time member States of NATO, so I like President Junkers mention of the same family. There is sometimes some strife among families, we have to take that into account but there are also great opportunities for cooperation and necessary collaboration for the success and in this case, mutual defense of us all. So, truly we are quite positive and very, very supportive of the efforts that are being undertaken now in the European Union to develop more efficient and effective means to really strengthen mutual defense and security.