The EU Military Staff hosts a delegation of National Military Representatives from SHAPE

Rear Admiral Ignacio Cuartero Lorenzo makes a presentation to Air Commodore Stephen Kelvington at the conclusion of the visit of the National Military Representative delegation from SHAPE to the EUMS.

Rear Admiral Ignacio Cuartero Lorenzo, Director of the Concepts and Capabilities Directorate of the EUMS, welcomed the SHAPE delegation and highlighted the importance of such visits to the success of EU-NATO cooperation in the field of Security and Defence.

Rear Admiral Cuartero Lorenzo then briefed the delegation on the ‘Role and Function of the EUMS’, which included a specific focus on the EU Strategic Compass and the EU Rapid Deployment Capacity (EU RDC). One of the key deliverables of the Strategic Compass is the establishment of the EU RDC by 2025.

Operations Directorate provided an ‘Overview of EU-Led Military Missions and Operations’ with an emphasis on the EU Military Assistance Mission to Ukraine (EUMAM UA).

Finally, EEAS/PCM.2 and EUMS External Relations Branch briefed the NMRs on ‘EU-NATO Relations’ and the various levels of cooperation between the two organisations. 

After each briefing, the floor was opened to questions from the visiting delegation. The questions posed by the NMRs and the answers provided by the EU representatives proved to be one of the most interesting and informative aspect of the visit.  

The afternoon concluded with closing remarks from Rear Admiral Cuartero Lorenzo, which were followed by an exchange of gifts between the EUMS and the SHAPE delegation.