North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
October 2, 2014
DEPUTY SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER EUROPE IN HUNGARIAN ‘SPEARHEAD’ DISCUSSION
The DSACEUR, Gen. Sir Adrian Bradshaw, recently visited Hungary for the second time in three months to discuss the new ‘Spearhead’ Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF).
Since his last stay, two important events have occurred, namely The Wales Summit and a Chiefs of Defence (CHOD) conference held in Vilnius, Lithuania. The summit gave political guidance to military leaders with reference to the way ahead post the Ukraine crisis, and the CHOD conference allowed for healthy discussion about how to implement the plan and, more specifically, what the size and shape of the VJTF would look like.
“Due to recent circumstances, it is well justified that NATO nations meet more often,” said Gen. Tibor Benkő, Hungarian CHoD, at a joint press conference Wednesday afternoon.
“The primary reason of my visit is really clear,” said Gen. Bradshaw in his statement, “and involves gaining support for the VJTF concept: The changed environment in Eastern Europe resulted in a changing of national borders and interior affairs of a sovereign country. After the assurance measures, which are defensive in nature and proportionate, we re-examined our deterrence force in order that no one could have any doubt about its capabilities.”
Hungary is closely monitoring the situation in Ukraine because it has a common border with the war-torn country and because there are ethnic Hungarian groups as well as strong economic and trade connections between the two nations.
“Hungary’s role at the moment is to help Ukraine carry on with their determined direction”, Benkő highlighted.
As well as having a plenary discussion with the Hungarian CHoD, Bradshaw also had a one-on-one discussion with Csaba Hende, Minister of Defence, and Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
“Hungary has been a strong contributor to NATO and is determined to continue to be so,” he concluded after his meetings.
The second day of the visit, Thursday, Oct. 2, is dedicated to a military engagement: DSACEUR is slated to participate in the exercise during the distinguished visitor day, and during exercise Steadfast Javelin 3, the Live-exercise portion of the Hungarian series of exercises, Common Action 2014.
Story by: SHAPE Public Affairs Office.
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