President Milanović to Participate in NATO Members Summit of Heads of State and Government in Madrid
The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović will participate in a NATO members Summit of heads of state and government in Madrid, Spain from 28 to 30 June 2022.
The NATO Madrid Summit is a regular summit at which major decisions are expected to be made, among others a decision on a new Strategic Concept setting NATO principles and tasks, and preparing the Alliance for the future. Further, a decision on significantly strengthening NATO defence and deterrence is expected at the Madrid Summit, which should once again confirm the relevance of earlier decisions to increase defence spending of NATO members. Also, a decision should be made on increasing the joint budget.
The Summit is being held in the midst of a major security crisis in the Euro-Atlantic area caused by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, and therefore a discussion on strengthening aid to Ukraine is also expected. A further topic of the NATO Summit will be the Republic of Finland’s and the Kingdom of Sweden’s application for membership in the Alliance. During the Summit, a meeting of heads of state and government members of the Alliance with invited heads of state and government non-members is planned: Australia, Republic of Finland, Georgia, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand and Kingdom of Sweden, as well as with the European Council President and the European Commission President. The President of Ukraine is expected to address the Summit participants via video call.
While at the NATO Summit, President Milanović will hold bilateral meetings with the President of the Republic of Finland Sauli Niinistö and the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Sweden Magdalena Andersson who will also be present in Madrid.
On Tuesday, first day of the NATO Summit, President Milanović and his wife Sanja Musić Milanović will attend a gala dinner hosted by His Majesty King Felipe VI and Her Majesty Queen Letizia in honour of the heads of state and government participating in the NATO Summit.