Estonian defmin discusses cooperation with Slovenian, Japanese colleagues

TALLINN - Estonian Defense Minister Juri Luik at meetings with the Slovenian defense minister and Japanese state minister of defense held during the Munich Security Conference discussed cooperation between the countries, while the minister at a meeting with the EU commissioner for industry spoke about the European Union's defense initiatives.

Luik during the Munich Security Conference held in Germany met with the EU commissioner responsible for internal market, industry, entrepreneurship and SMEs, Elzbieta Bienkowska, while the meeting focused on the issue of supporting defense initiatives from the EU budget, the Ministry of Defense said. "The next European Union budget must definitely also cover new defense initiatives," Luik said, emphasizing that it is important to take advantage of the positive developments formed in the framework of the European Union defense cooperation and promote innovative technological solutions.

Luik at a meeting with Japanese State Minister of Defense Tomohiro Yamamoto received an overview of the security situation in the East Asia region. The ministers also spoke about cyber cooperation between Estonia and Japan and Luik also welcomed Japan's decision to join the Tallinn-based NATO Cooperative Cyber Defense Center of Excellence (CCD COE).

Luik in Munich also met with Slovenian Defense Minister Andreja Katic, while the topics discussed at the meeting included preparations for the NATO summit as well as defense cooperation between the two countries. Slovenia has also expressed the wish to join the NATO CCD COE.