Minister Logar on the role of transatlantic leadership in tackling security, economic and other global challenges

17. 11. 2020

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Today, Minister of Foreign Affairs Anže Logar joined his Swedish and Lithuanian counterparts to participate in a virtual ministerial panel on the future of transatlantic relations, held at the beginning of a two-day International Conference Road to Warsaw Security Forum. The foreign ministers discussed the future of relations between Europe and the United States of America and the role of transatlantic leadership in tackling security, economic and other global challenges.

a discussion on a virtual panel — Minister Anže Logar | Author Ministrstvo za zunanje zadeve

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Along with Minister Logar, the ministerial conversation entitled “The Future of the Transatlantic Alliance – New Opportunities for Europe and the United States” featured Ann Linde, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden, and Linas Linkevičius, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania. Moderated by Katarzyna Pisarska, Program Director of the Warsaw Security Forum, the panel focused on transatlantic cooperation in the wake of the recent election and the key challenges on both sides of the Atlantic. The participants agreed that the United States represents a historical transatlantic partner and ally for Europe.

Touching on the transatlantic dialogue, Minister Logar pointed out that the last EU-US summit was held in 2014, so, he believes, it was high time one was organised in 2021. He also advocated for concluding an EU-US free-trade agreement as soon as feasible. Minister Logar stated that the US turn away from Europe had left an empty space for other global players that might not share the same democratic values. This means that both sides of the Atlantic have plenty of work ahead during which no one should succumb to prejudice or unreasonable expectations. The EU should fulfil the ambitious plans on transatlantic cooperation set out by the European Commission. Minister Logar added that a strong transatlantic bond has become all the more relevant in the face of increased cooperation in the Indian-Pacific region.

The participating ministers also touched on the growing role of China, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Three Seas Initiative and emerging threats.

The two-day conference, held today and tomorrow, brought together more than 200 participants from Europe and the United States. The packed agenda includes panel discussions on topical issues related to European and Euro-Atlantic security, focusing on transatlantic cooperation, NATO, and the notion of European strategic autonomy, as well as the situation in the Western Balkans, the Eastern Partnership, the nexus between security and climate change, and the relations between Russia and China.