NATO Ministers agree on defence plan, investment in innovation

NATO Defence Ministers have endorsed a plan to defend against potential attacks on multiple fronts and agreed to launch a billion dollar fund to finance new technologies.

The new overarching plan is to make sure that "we continue to have the right forces at the right place, at the right time", said NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.

The Ministers also agreed to monitor any attempts by international terrorist groups to regroup in Afghanistan, reports Xinhua news agency.

"We will continue to hold the Taliban accountable for their pledges on terrorism, safe passage and human rights," said Stoltenberg.

A recent spat emerged between France and Germany over how Europe should enhance its military capabilities, with Kramp-Karrenbauer squaring with the US view that it should complement NATO's existing operations, while President Emmanuel Macron champions the concept of strategic autonomy as a way for the European Union to become more powerful on the world stage.

According to Stoltenberg, the NATO countries are "making important progress" on how to work more closely on technology and have signed up a fund to promote innovation - IANS