On Monday 9 March, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte took part in a panel discussion in Brussels, together with EU leaders, as part of the annual EU Ambassadors' Conference.
Mr Rutte appeared alongside Kaja Kallas, the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Andrius Kubilis, the European Commissioner for Defence and Space, with the conversation introduced by Genevieve Tuts, the EU Ambassador to Canada.
In his remarks the Secretary General welcomed the initiative shown by European nations in taking greater responsibility for their defence and stepping up to meet growing security challenges.
He welcomed rising defence investment and defence production and underlined their role in ensuring Euro-Atlantic security.
He urged both the EU and NATO to fully utilise their strengths, noting the essential contribution made by non-EU Allies to European and transatlantic security.
In recognition that threats are increasing - not only in scale but in complexity and reach - Mr Rutte praised the deepening partnership between both organisations.
