European countries vow 'steadfast commitment' to continent's security architecture amid 'systematic' Russian attacks

​​​​​​​By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the UK underlined their "steadfast commitment" to a European security architecture on Tuesday and expressed concern about Russia's "escalating hybrid activities" against NATO and the EU.

The foreign ministers of the six countries said in a joint declaration that they recognized that "our common security is challenged as never before in our lifetimes."

It cited Russia's "systematic" attacks on the European security architecture.

"Moscow’s escalating hybrid activities against NATO and EU countries are also unprecedented in their variety and scale, creating significant security risks,” it said.

It also noted that Russia is increasingly reliant on partners such as Iran and North Korea to sustain its war effort.

"To live up to this historic challenge, we are determined to stand united with our European and transatlantic partners to think and act big on European security," according to the declaration, that added European countries must play a greater role in assuring Europe's security, acting alongside transatlantic and global partners.

The foreign ministers said it is imperative to continue deterring Russia and constraining the build-up of that country’s military capabilities, including through restrictive measures.

"To this end, further integration between the EU member states, closer cooperation between the EU and the UK, and enhanced cooperation between NATO and the European Union will be key," said the declaration.

"We consider this also a unique opportunity to renew the foundations of our transatlantic relations with the United States of America by strengthening NATO and ensuring fair burden sharing within the Alliance,” it added.