Czech and German defence ministers meeting in Prague

Germany’s defence minister, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, is meeting her Czech counterpart, Lubomír Metnar, in Prague on Friday to discuss issues bilateral, EU and NATO issues, including the joint training of units and cooperation in the defense industry.

It is the first time in five years that a German defence minister has visited the Czech Republic in an official capacity. The last to do so was Ursula von der Leyen, now President of the European Commission.

Germany is the Czech Republic’s most important trade partner and a significant partner in the defence sector. Czech military personnel take part in about 30 exercises in Germany annually while German armed forces take part in about 10 exercises in the Czech Republic.