NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said today that he expects the Alliance’s defense ministers to agree on the establishment of a new North Atlantic Treaty Organization naval center for the security of critical undersea infrastructure when they meet tomorrow, Thursday.

“The center will increase our situational awareness and strengthen the maritime presence for deterrence and defence,” he said during a press conference on the eve of a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels. Stoltenberg added that the ministers will review a new defense production action plan aimed at strengthening the interoperability of NATO members’ munitions and equipment.

The NATO chief also said the transatlantic alliance must do more to standardize ammunition and equipment. “We need to do more in standardizing ammunition,” he stressed. “Since last fall, we have been working on how to increase defense production. Standardization is a key responsibility of NATO. We need to do more in munitions standardization,” he stressed, adding that the defense industry needs contracts.

In relation to Sweden’s candidacy for NATO membership, Stoltenberg said some progress had been made during the talks in Turkey.