NATO Defense Ministerial, Peleshi: Albania is ready to increase its contribution to southeast borders of the Alliance

Defence Minister Niko Peleshi is participating in the two-day meeting of the Defense Ministers of the Alliance countries, which is taking place at the NATO headquarters in Brussels on 16-17 February 2022.
Although the current crisis caused by the deployment of large Russian military forces on the borders of Ukraine has the attention of audiences around the world and is a crucial point after the Cold War, the agenda of this meeting will discuss many other important issues such as: New Strategic Concept; Strengthening the Alliance's deterrence and protection; Defense Expenses; Fair sharing of burden between the Allies; NATO - EU Partnership; etc.
Defence Minister Peleshi in his speech stressed the unified position of Albania with other Allied countries that every country is free and has the sovereign right to choose its own path in security and defense alliances, as well as the orientation of foreign policy. He also mentioned Albania's role as a co-penholder with the United States in the United Nations Security Council in the Ukraine issue.

Further, Defence Minister Peleshi stressed the importance of maintaining solidarity and cohesion that the Alliance must always show, but especially at this moment. He did not leave without mentioning and appreciating the irreplaceable role of the Strategic Commands and other NATO structures, in the mobilization and permanent readiness to guard the borders of the Alliance countries.

Minister Peleshi drew his attention to the current contributions of our country within the Alliance, as well as the latest decisions on the possibility of increasing the contribution to the southeastern borders of the Alliance, according to the model of Advanced Reinforced Presence in the Baltic States (EFP). Regarding the development and implementation of Defense capacities, Peleshi reaffirmed Albania's commitment to fulfilling the Defense Investment Commitment that the member countries undertook at the Wales Summit in 2014 to achieve the Defense budget by 2024 at not less than 2% of GDP.

Defence Minister Niko Peleshi paid special attention to the drafting of the new Strategic Concept of NATO, assessing that this is quite the appropriate time, for the fact that the security situation and risks around the globe are developing quite rapidly and in an unpredictable and chaotic manner.
In this context, Mr. Peleshi demanded that the Balkan region be given the needed attention in drafting the new NATO Strategic Concept.