The Deputy Minister of National Defense Mr. Nikolaos Hardalias participated in the proceedings of the annual Security Summit/21st Conference on European Security and Defense (Berlin Security Conference 2022/21st Congress on European Security and Defense), held on Wednesday 30 November and Thursday 1 December 2022, in Berlin. The Summit is an international forum on Security and Defense organized by the German newspaper “The Behorden Spiegel”, every year since 2001.

This year’s Summit, in which Norway was its partner country, took place in the following three thematic sessions:

– General issues: War in Ukraine, Strategic Compass (Strategic Compass) of the European Union (EU), Strategic Doctrine (Strategic Concept) of NATO, interdisciplinary Force design, Energy and critical infrastructure, control of equipment.

– Security and Defense: The British perspective on Security and Defence, Defense in Space, European Defense in land space, integrated defense proposals in Europe, air power in an ever-changing security environment, maritime areas of responsibility, hybrid threats, cyber-warfare, European health system, perspectives and opportunities.

– Technology, research, development and procurement: technological progress in the defense sector, Energy and Security, a common European procurement program, digitization of international military forces, local multinational cooperation programs.

The main speakers were the Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Mr. Olaf Scholzthe Prime Minister of Norway Mr. Jonas Gahr Store and the Secretary General of NATO Mr. Jens Stoltenberg.

During their statements in the framework of the work of the Synod, the Chancellor of Germany, Mr. Olaf Scholz, and the Prime Minister of Norway, Mr. Jonas Gahr Store, both underlined the need for NATO protection of the European energy systems, submarine pipelines and natural gas, of telecommunications infrastructures and internet lines, as well as the creation of a special coordination office.

Referring to the war in Ukraine, they assured that they will continue to support the Ukrainian defense, while Mr. Jonas Gahr Store announced that his country will give Ukraine and other war-affected countries part of the high profits from the sale of natural of gas, while at the same time the purchase of natural gas on behalf of Kyiv is planned, in view of the winter.

On the part of NATO, the Secretary General, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg, emphasized the need for a greater effort to secure maritime and infrastructure in general against further acts of destruction and called on Germany to continue strengthening its Armed Forces, while, referring to Ukraine , requested that its support be continued and strengthened.

Thirteen high-level thematic discussion panels also featured one hundred and forty distinguished speakers from politics, the Armed Forces and the business community, including:

– The Minister of State Dr. Tobias Lindner as a representative of the Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany, who delivered the opening speech of the first day of the Synod.

– The Federal Minister of Defense of Germany Ms. Christine Lambrecht and the Ministers of Defense of Norway Mr. Bjørn Arild Gramof Finland, etc. Antti Kaikkonenof Sweden Dr. Paul Johnson and Hungary Mr. Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky.

– The President of the EU Military Commission General Robert Brieger.

– The Chief of Staff of the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) of NATO Admiral Joachim Rühle.

– The Chiefs of Armed Forces of Sweden, Finland, Norway and Denmark.

As part of the Synod, an exhibition was held with pioneering new technologies from leading system manufacturers in the field of Security and Defense.

Finally, the Deputy Minister of National Defense, on the sidelines of the work of the Synod, held a meeting with his counterpart for International Security issues of the United States of America, Mr. Celeste Wallander and the President of the EU Military Commission General Robert Brieger.

Mr. Hardalia was accompanied by the Ambassador of Greece to Germany, Ms. Mara Marinaki and the Greek Adjutant Defense Colonel Evangelos Kolovis.