ウィスパリング同時通訳研究会コミュのNATO Secretary General, Press Conference at Defence Ministers Meeting, 16 JUN 2022

Good afternoon.
Defence Ministers have just concluded preparations for the NATO Summit in Madrid, in two weeks from now.

Russia’s war against Ukraine poses the biggest threat to our security in decades.
So we must set out NATO’s response for the longer term.
At the Summit, we will take decisions to make NATO even stronger and more agile, in a world that is more dangerous and more competitive.
I am confident that the Madrid Summit will be a transformative summit.
With important decisions, not least in five key areas.

Significantly stronger deterrence and defence.

Sustained support for Ukraine and other partners at risk -
and I am pleased that President Zelensky will participate in our summit.

We will also decide on a new NATO Strategic Concept, setting out our position on Russia, on emerging challenges, and for the first time, on China.
And in this context, I welcome that the leaders of our Asia-Pacific partners will take part in our summit for the first time.

Last but not least, better burden-sharing and resourcing of our Alliance.
And the historic applications for membership by Finland and Sweden.

At this ministerial in Brussels yesterday and today, we have made progress on many of these areas.

Last night, we met with Ukrainian Defence Minister Reznikov.
We addressed the imperative need for our continued support,
as Russia conducts a relentless war of attrition against Ukraine.

NATO Allies and partners have been providing Ukraine unprecedented support. So that it can defend itself against Moscow’s aggression.
Allies have now announced additional assistance, including much needed heavy weapons and long-range systems.

We also discussed plans to support the country for the longer term.
We are putting together a NATO comprehensive assistance package for Ukraine.
Helping Ukraine improve interoperability with NATO,
transition from Soviet-era to modern NATO equipment,
and further strengthening security institutions.

Yesterday, over 40 nations – NATO Allies and partners - took part in the meeting of the Ukraine Support Contact Group, led by the United States.
And committed to continue to uphold Ukraine’s right to self-defence.

Georgia, Finland, Sweden, and the European Union also joined the meeting of NATO defence ministers.
We made clear that all countries have the right to choose their own path, without outside interference.

Russia’s aggression is a game-changer.
So NATO must maintain credible deterrence and strong defence.

Today, ministers addressed the scale and design of our future posture.
And how we can step up across all domains.
With substantial strengthening of our presence, capabilities, and readiness.

This will mean more NATO forward deployed combat formations,
to strengthen our battlegroups in the Eastern part of our Alliance.
More air, sea and cyber defences, as well as pre-positioned equipment and weapon stockpiles.
And a new force model, with more forces at higher readiness, and specific forces pre-assigned to the defence of specific Allies,
to enable much faster reinforcement.

A number of Allies have committed to contribute to our stronger presence in the eastern part of our Alliance.
But we still have some work to do as we look to the Summit,
where I expect further announcements.

The substantial strengthening of our deterrence and defence is necessary for our security.
But it does not come for free.
So ministers also discussed the importance of resourcing our decisions.

We have seen seven consecutive years of rising defence investment across Europe and Canada.
Allies are also contributing to NATO deployments and exercises.
And investing in more high-end capabilities, including fifth-generation aircraft and emerging technologies.

Now is the time to keep up the momentum.
So that we can continue to preserve peace, prevent conflict, and protect our people.

With that, I am ready to take your questions.

Thomas Gutschker, (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung): Thanks a lot. Secretary General, Thomas Gutschker, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Secretary General. The Pope has made a few remarks on NATO's possible contribution to the war in Ukraine. He said that we don't know the whole drama unfolding behind this war, which was and I quote him somehow either provoked or not prevented. We all know the Pope can claim infallibility for his remarks. Maybe not for this one, but I'd be keen to hear your reply. Thanks.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg: So NATO is a defensive alliance and the war in Ukraine is President Putin's war. This is a war that he has decided to conduct against an independent sovereign nation. And what NATO has been doing for many years is to support the sovereign independent nation in Europe, Ukraine, train, assist, advise, and equip the Ukrainian Armed Forces. That is what NATO Allies and NATO have done for many years. This is not a threat to anyone. This is not a provocation. And that is what we continue to do. So, it is President Putin and Moscow that is responsible for this brutal aggression against the independent country Ukraine.

Dmytro Shkurko, (National News Agency of Ukraine): Thank you so much for the question, Dmytro Shkurko, National News Agency of Ukraine. Now there are a lot of expectations in Ukraine because of a big pre-visiting of Ukraine, I mean leaders of France, Germany, and Italy. I just curious if they consulted NATO before coming to Kyiv from the security and military point of view, and how that visit could be influencing the future cooperation in military field between the NATO and Ukraine. And short follow up, if I may, if Ukraine now is fighting for NATO values using the NATO weaponry, is it the right time to raise a question or consider the future membership of Ukraine in NATO? Thank you.

NATO Secretary General: I welcome that leaders of NATO Allied countries go to Kyiv and visit Ukraine and meet with the political leadership, meet with President Zelenskyy and also see the atrocities, the result of the brutal aggression by Moscow and President Putin in Ukraine. I think that is important to demonstrate solidarity, to convey a clear political message, and also, of course, to have that opportunity to consult with the political leadership in Kyiv. We are also of course, consulting with the political leadership in Kyiv here in Brussels, in different NATO capitals. We had the Defence Minister Reznikov participating in the meeting yesterday. And of course, we also consult among ourselves between NATO Allies, as we also did yesterday, in the dinner where we had the European Union, Finland and Sweden, together with Minister Reznikov and all 30 NATO Allies discussing their way forward in our support to Ukraine. And also we had the meeting of the US led support group here at NATO yesterday, more than 40 NATO Allies and partners participated in in that meeting, consulting, discussing, how to sustain an unprecedented level of support to Ukraine, and also in that context, welcomed the announcement by the United States yesterday to further increase support, 1 Billion US extra for military aid, including artillery and also long range fires. So, this is part of an ongoing process where Allies are consulting and working together in many different ways to provide support to Ukraine. Our focus now is on support to Ukraine to provide military support, lethal, non-lethal support, from Allies and from NATO. And also, on capacity building and this helped to modernise more for the longer term, the defence and security institutions of Ukraine. Let me add one more thing, and that is that NATO Allies have provided support Ukraine since 2014, training 10s of 1000s of Ukrainian soldiers, and also helped to equip and strengthen the Ukrainian Armed Forces. It's first and foremost the bravery, the courage of the Ukrainian Armed Forces that are now able to fight back against the invading Russian forces. But NATO’s support for many years is also making a huge difference on the battleground every day