Luxembourg, Belgium Discuss Further Development of Defence Cooperation

On Wednesday 12 February 2025, Luxembourg’s Minister of Defence, Yuriko Backes, met with her counterpart, Belgian Minister of Defence and Foreign Trade, Theo Francken, in Belgium.

A statement issued by Luxembourg’s Directorate of Defence revealed that the ministers discussed the close bilateral cooperation in defence between the countries, particularly in the context of the binational A400M fleet, which has been in operation since 2021.

Minister Backes said: "Belgian-Luxembourgish cooperation in the defence of our two countries is a success story, which will continue in the future, with the establishment of the binational combat reconnaissance battalion, a real common military and political priority".

The Defence Directorate added that the ministers discussed current issues of international security policy, at the level of the European Union and NATO. In view of the future NATO capability goals, which will be approved in mid-2025, they also discussed the possibility of further developing the already solid cooperation between the two countries.

Concerning the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, which has been going on for almost three years, Minister Backes is reported to have reiterated Luxembourg’s determination to support Ukraine in exercising its right to self-defence. She stressed the importance of international capability coalitions, in particular the IT Coalition under Luxembourg and Estonia leadership, in which Luxembourg and Belgium are already cooperating effectively.

HOM