NATO Secretary General - Doorstep statement at Foreign Ministers Meeting, 03 APR 2024

Doorstep statement by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg ahead of the meetings of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs, 3 April 2024. 🗣 | NATO Secretary General: Good morning. Foreign Ministers will meet today and tomorrow to mark NATO’s 75th anniversary, and to prepare for our Summit in Washington in July. NATO was founded on a single, solemn promise: an attack on one Ally is an attack on all. From that foundation, we have built the most powerful and successful Alliance in history. And over the past 75 years, NATO’s Open Door has helped to spread democracy and prosperity across Europe. As we celebrate NATO’s achievements, we do not rest upon them. Europe now faces war on a scale we thought was resigned to history. In recent days, the Kremlin has launched new major attacks, striking Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure. And Russia continues to press along the frontlines. So we must stand firm in our support to Ukraine. And I welcome that Allies continue to make major deliveries of weapons, ammunition, and equipment. But Ukraine has urgent needs. Any delay in providing support has consequences on the battlefield as we speak. So we need to shift the dynamics of our support. We must ensure reliable and predictable security assistance to Ukraine for the long haul. So that we rely less on voluntary contributions and more on NATO commitments. Less on short-term offers and more on multi-year pledges. therefore Ministers will discuss how NATO could assume more responsibility for coordinating military equipment and training for Ukraine anchoring this within a robust NATO framework. We will also discuss a multi-year financial commitment to sustain our support. This ministerial will set the stage for achieving consensus on these issues as we prepare for the Washington Summit. NATO Allies provide 99 percent of all military support to Ukraine. So doing more under NATO would make our efforts more efficient, and more effective. Moscow needs to understand that they cannot achieve their goals on the battlefield and they cannot wait us out. Tomorrow we will hold a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council. With Minister Kuleba, we will address the current situation and Ukraine’s needs both now and for the future. We are transforming NATO’s comprehensive assistance package into a multi-year programme of assistance. We are helping Ukraine move closer to NATO, NATO standards on everything from procurement to logistics. And we are supporting Ukraine’s reform efforts to bring Ukraine ever closer to the Alliance. Ukraine will become a member of NATO. It is a question of when, not if. Tomorrow, we will also meet with our Indo-Pacific partners: Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea. Together with the European Union. We know that our security is not regional – it is global. The war in Ukraine illustrates this clearly. Russia’s friends in Asia are vital for continuing its war of aggression. China is propping up Russia’s war economy. In return, Moscow is mortgaging its future to Beijing. North Korea and Iran are delivering substantial supplies of weapons and ammunition. In return, Pyongyang and Tehran are receiving Russian technology and supplies that help them advance their missile and nuclear capabilities. This has regional and global security consequences. So like-minded nations around the world need to stand together. To defend a global order ruled by law, not by force. Tomorrow we will discuss how best to work together towards this end. We also have much to gain from practical cooperation – including on technology, cyber, and hybrid threats. As well as support to Ukraine. All of this matters for European security. And for Indo-Pacific security.   Countering rising global threats requires sustained spending. A record number of Allies will meet NATO’s 2 percent of GDP spending target this year. And I look forward to further progress. At our ministerial, we will also discuss how to address instability in our southern neighbourhood. Including the continuing threat of terrorism. We will also agree a new policy on Women, Peace and Security. Because our societies are stronger and safer when we draw on the contributions of all our people. And with that, I am happy to take some questions. Transcript continues: ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ SUBSCRIBE to this channel SUBSCRIBE to NATO News SUBSCRIBE to NATO History Connect with NATO online: Visit the Official NATO Homepage: Receive NATO updates via email: Find NATO on FACEBOOK: Follow @NATO on TWITTER: Follow NATO on Instagram: Find NATO on LinkedIn: Find NATO on Flickr: #NATO #OTAN #ForMin