Warsaw [Russia], January 14: Defence Ministers from Poland, Germany, France, Italy and the UK met in Warsaw on Monday to discuss European security matters in a new five-way format established in the wake of Donald Trump's US presidential election win.
The European allies, responding to Trump repeatedly undermining US reliability in the NATO alliance, are above all seeking to strengthen European security and conflict readiness.
The German Defence Minister, Boris Pistorius, warned against reducing military aid for Ukraine.
"We will support Ukraine on its way for as long as necessary. This continues to apply," he said at the start of consultations.
"What we need is a just and lasting peace, which must be the end result. A peace that is not negotiated over the heads of Ukraine with anyone, but one that is just and sustainable and can be secured," said Pistorius.
The ministers were also to discuss the long-term strengthening of the Ukrainian defence industry, and said European defence companies and their respective supply chains could and should play an important role in this.
Pistorius said that "our industries will in turn learn from the Ukrainian experience on the battlefield in the application of systems and weapons."
It is unclear if or to what degree the US will continue its current military support for Ukraine under Trump's leadership. With a week until Trump's inauguration on January 20, the European defence ministers also want to discuss further aid for Ukraine.
It will also be telling how the ministers respond to Trump's latest statements staking a claim to Greenland, which belongs to Denmark, and his ambitions to annex Canada - both NATO allies.
Source: Qatar Tribune