Nato Chief Welcomes UK-Germany Defence Pact

ISTANBUL, Oct 23 (Bernama-Anadolu) --The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Secretary General Mark Rutte on Wednesday welcomed the new (United Kingdom) UK-Germany defence agreement, emphasising that it will strengthen the military alliance's support for Ukraine's security, Anadolu Agency (AA) reported.

"NATO will continue to step up our deterrence and defence and increase our support for Ukraine because Ukraine's security is our security," Rutte said during his visit to a NATO battle group in Estonia.

In light of Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, he emphasised the importance of NATO’s collective defence, saying, "This is not just about Estonia on the eastern flank. It’s about all of us together."

When asked by a reporter about the upcoming United States (US) presidential election, Rutte expressed confidence in NATO's relationship with Washington, saying, "We will work positively with whoever wins."

He added that both sides of the political spectrum in the US understand NATO's importance for global security.

Under the UK-Germany defence agreement, Rheinmetall, a German defence firm, will open a new factory in the UK to manufacture barrels for artillery guns, and the agreement will pave the way for both countries to collaborate on the development of drones and a new long-range missile.

Separately, German maritime surveillance aircraft will also periodically patrol the North Atlantic from Royal Air Force (RAF) Lossiemouth in Scotland.

-- BERNAMA-ANADOLU