Brussels, December 4, 2024 – Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Mr. Igli Hasani participated in the meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of NATO, in Brussels, the first under the leadership of the new Secretary General, Mark Rutte, as well as the closing meeting of an important year for the North Atlantic Alliance. which marked the 75th anniversary of its establishment.
In his intervention, Minister Hasani reiterated Albania’s steadfast commitment to the Transatlantic Alliance, as the “cornerstone” of NATO.
The minister informed that Albania is currently investing 2.03% of the Gross Domestic Product in defense, with a focus on the modernization of the Armed Forces, while working to achieve 3% of GDP by 2030.
In the context of the adoption of NATO’s biennial report on the Western Balkans, Minister Hasani emphasized the critical need to strengthen NATO cohesion, especially in maintaining the security and stability of the Western Balkans, to effectively counter cross-border threats and to strengthen preventive and defensive capabilities.
The Foreign Ministers approved a series of documents on various issues of the Alliance, especially regarding the progress of implementing the important decisions agreed by the Heads of States and Governments at the Washington Summit (July 9-11, 2024), as well as the launch of preparations for the NATO Summit in The Hague, on June 24-25, 2025.
In the focus of the meetings, where the new High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, Mrs. Kaja Kallas was the continuation of the support of the allied countries for Ukraine. Allied Foreign Ministers during the meeting with their Ukrainian counterpart Mr. Andri Sybiha, in the format of the NATO-Ukraine Council (NUC), emphasized, among other things, the full support for Ukraine, as long as it is necessary in its efforts to withstand Russia’s aggression.
Another session was dedicated to the situation in the southern side of the Alliance, where the King of Jordan, His Majesty Abdullah II, was also invited. Allies emphasized the strengthening of NATO’s existing partnerships with countries on its southern side, most recently affected by the conflict in Gaza, as well as in light of the decisions taken by Leaders at the Washington Summit, where NATO appointed a Special Representative for the South.
Likewise, the Ministers of the allied countries discussed the Alliance’s strategic approach to Russia, the necessary measures to be taken to address all-round security threats, including hybrid threats.
