Prime Minister Golob: 'Our goal is to be able to continue to live in peace'

Group photo on the occasion of the North Atlantic Council - Ukraine | Author Daniel Novakovič/STA

"The Summit was a success, even exceeding expectations, and I believe that at the end of the day we all left satisfied - both NATO members and Pacific partners and, above all, Ukraine. The meeting marked the materialisation of a long-term relationship between the Alliance and Ukraine that will help to bring the war in Ukraine to an end more quickly. After all, NATO's core task is precisely to deter military conflict. I believe the best message we can send to Russia is that the Western support for Ukraine is for the long term, and that it is indeed high time for Russia to recognise the need to engage in peace talks," said Prime Minister Golob.

In this context, this message is particularly important for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. "Peace can only be discussed collectively, not through independent actions, especially not without the mandate of a wider alliance or community, in this case the European Union. We were unanimous on this point," the Prime Minister added. On Russia and Ukraine, there is a clear violation of international law by Russia, which undermines the global world order and violates the Charter of the United Nations. "It is vital that such violations and such breaches are equally recognised around the world," the Prime Minister added. He went on to say that the Alliance must work together to demonstrate, despite occasional perceptions to the contrary, that it does not apply double standards. In this spirit, the Alliance must do its utmost to secure a cessation of hostilities in Palestine and find a way to a lasting peace.

The Prime Minister also underlined Slovenia's important role within the Alliance, particularly in operations in the Western Balkans. "On the initiative of President Biden, who knows the region very well, NATO is increasing its presence in the region to prevent any escalation of conflicts. Slovenia has committed to increasing its contingent in KFOR and we will double our contingent in Kosovo next year. This commitment is aimed at preventing any escalation of conflict in the region," he said.

Prime Minister Golob also emphasised that the Summit's key message was the unity of the Alliance. "In order to tackle global challenges, we must be united in deterring threats - in space, in the cyber world, on the ground or on the battlefield. Unity has been strongly demonstrated today, and I believe that is one of the keys to progress," he said.

The Prime Minister added that it was crucial to achieve sovereignty in the defence of our countries, and that it was easier for small countries to do this in cooperation with their neighbours, partners and allies in international organisations. "Therefore, Slovenia really has no choice but to build a strong defence force together with its neighbours, its European friends, for one purpose - so that we can continue to live in peace."

The Committee on Foreign Affairs today took note of the agreement on security cooperation and long-term assistance between the Republic of Slovenia and Ukraine, following its approval by the Government on Wednesday. The agreement is expected to be signed by Prime Minister Golob on Thursday 18 July on the sidelines of the European Political Community meeting in Oxford, England.