NATO SACEUR Grynkewich emphasized the need for cooperation between NATO and the EU on defense technology and supply chain integration

NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) General Alexus G. Grynkewich addressed MPs at the joint meeting of the European Parliament's (EP) Security and Defense Committee (SEDE) and the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and Relations Delegation in Brussels.

Stating that the global security environment is unstable and complex, and that this situation will become even more complex in the next few years, Grynkewich said that NATO's intelligence sharing and coordination mechanisms are getting stronger every day, and that the necessary response is being given to hybrid threats.

Grynkewich emphasized that great progress was made at the Defense Industry Forum held within the scope of the NATO Summit in Ankara, and reminded that hundreds of companies signed numerous agreements with a total value exceeding 50 billion euros in areas such as strategic air transportation, surveillance and reconnaissance activities.

Drawing attention to the "Made in NATO" and "Made in EU" initiatives, which envisage giving priority to EU-origin products in public procurement and support programs in certain strategic sectors, Grynkewich said, "This situation is of great importance for American, Canadian, British, Norwegian and Turkish companies. In my opinion, this is an area where cooperation between the EU and NATO should be improved." he said.

Grynkewich noted that NATO's technological superiority over its rivals must be maintained and said:

"Therefore, in order to maintain this superiority, I would like to warn against rigid rules for choosing where military equipment is produced. Focusing on where a piece of equipment is produced rather than its performance on the battlefield will only benefit our adversaries. Therefore, our ultimate goal must be to ensure that the EU and NATO act in harmony when it comes to the supply of the best equipment for our uniformed personnel."