Last updated: 12 Jul. 2024 00:10
Also available in: French, Ukrainian, Russian
On Thursday (11 July 2024), Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg wrapped up NATO’s 75th Anniversary Summit in Washington, D.C. At the Summit, Allies made decisions to further strengthen deterrence and defence, bolster long-term support to Ukraine and deepen global partnerships.
In the morning, Allied leaders met with leaders from Australia, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and the European Union to address shared security challenges and further deepen cooperation. Faced with the growing alignment of Russia, China, Iran and North Korea, NATO is working ever more closely with partners in the Indo-Pacific and with the European Union to help preserve peace and protect the rules-based international order. Mr. Stoltenberg also highlighted that China is a decisive enabler of Russia’s war against Ukraine. The Washington Summit declaration refers to the strategic partnership between Moscow and Beijing as a “cause for profound concern.”
In the afternoon, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy joined Allied leaders for a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council at the level of Heads of State and Government. The Secretary General indicated that Allies continue to support Ukraine on its irreversible path to NATO membership.
Yesterday (10 July), Allies agreed to establish NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine, to coordinate the provision of military equipment and training for Ukraine. They also announced a pledge of long-term security assistance to Ukraine with a minimum baseline of 40 billion euros within the next year. “This pledge will ensure greater burden-sharing of military support,” said Mr Stoltenberg. “It will also provide Ukraine the reliable support it needs to deter and defend against future Russian aggression now and in the future.” The Secretary General welcomed that more Allies have signed bilateral security agreements with Ukraine, bringing the total to 20. He also highlighted that Allies have agreed to establish a NATO-Ukraine Joint Analysis, Training and Education Centre in Poland.
The 2025 NATO Summit will be held in The Hague, the Netherlands.
Further information
- Programme of the meetings with links to transcripts, photos, audio and video
- Closing press conference by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the end of the 2024 NATO Summit in Washington – 11 Jul. 2024
Official texts:
Closing press conference by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the end of the 2024 NATO Summit in Washington
Last updated: 12 July 2024, 01:07
(As delivered)
Good afternoon, we have just concluded a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council. President Zelenskyy updated Allies on the situation the battlefield and Ukraine’s most urgent needs.
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion NATO Allies have provided Ukraine with unprecedented support including tens of billions of euros in military aid. Ukraine has had a difficult winter and spring. Gaps and delays in the provision of military support have had real consequences on the battlefield and Ukrainians have shown remarkable courage and tenacity in holding the line but we cannot and will not allow this to happen again.
At this Summit, we are turning a corner and putting in place the foundations for Ukraine to prevail. Allies have agreed to launch NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine with a command in Germany, logistic hubs in the eastern part of the Alliance, and around 700 personnel. NATO will coordinate the training of Ukrainian forces at facilities in Allied countries, plan and coordinate the provision of donations, manage the transfer and repair of equipment and provide support to the long-term development of Ukraine’s forces.
Allies have also agreed a major financial pledge to Ukraine with a minimum baseline of 40 billion euros within the next year. And to sustain our support for Ukraine to prevail.
We will review this level at forthcoming Summits to ensure that our support continues to meet Ukraine’s needs.
Europeans are more than matching the overall US support for Ukraine. This pledge will ensure greater burden sharing of military support too. It will also provide Ukraine the reliable support it needs to deter and defend against future Russian aggression now and in the future.
At the Summit Allies have made further announcements of immediate military aid including critical air defence, and more Allies have signed bilateral security agreements with Ukraine bringing the total to more than 20. We have taken further steps to deepen Ukraine’s interoperability with NATO, bolster Ukraine’s defence industry and enhance cooperation on innovation.
We have also agreed to establish NATO-Ukraine Joint Analysis Training and Education Centre in Poland. All of this support will make Ukraine stronger and more capable. In fact, everything we are doing – the command, the pledge, more military aid, more security agreements, and improved interoperability put in place the foundations for Ukraine to prevail. They serve as a bridge to NATO.
Allies have agreed that as Ukraine continues necessary reforms, we will support them on the irreversible path to membership.
Today we send a strong message of unity and resolve to Moscow. That violence and intimidation do not pay, and that Ukraine can count on NATO now and for the long haul.
Today in our meeting, we also met with our Indo-Pacific partners. China has become a decisive enabler of Russia’s war against Ukraine. Through its no-limits partnership and support for Russia’s defence industrial base. This includes the transfer of dual-use materials such as weapon components, equipment and raw materials.
We agree that China cannot continue to fuel the largest military conflict in Europe without this impacting Beijing’s interests and reputation.
Other authoritarian states such as Iran and North Korea are also supporting Russia’s war with drones, ammunition and more. This makes it even more important that we work closely with our like-minded partners in the Indo-Pacific. So we launched new cooperative projects on disinformation, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, as well as support to Ukraine. We discussed expanding the scope of defence industrial cooperation and how to improve intelligence sharing.
These are all important steps because we see all too clearly that what happens in Europe matters for Asia, and what happens in Asia matters for Europe. And this more dangerous world, we must stand together to defend our shared security interests and uphold our shared values. With that, I’m ready to take your questions.
Q&A Session
NATO Spokesperson, Farah Dakhlallah – Okay, thank you. I’ll begin with [TV Poland]. Go ahead second row.
Question – Good morning. [unclear] I would like to ask you for comment on the recent exercises of Russia, Belarus and China close to Polish border with Russia which is extremely dangerous especially that since three years Poland is facing attacks from the illegal migrants encouraged by Belarus. Could you comment please? Chinese minister of foreign affairs told only that Poland and Belarus should to find some diplomatic solution. And if I might say something I think that not only in my personal name, I would like to thank you for all cooperation with media, with journalists and for all the news. Thank you very much.
NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg – The Chinese exercise together with Belarusian forces in Belarus. It’s part of a pattern that just confirms how authoritarian regimes are aligning more and more and also how China is coming closer to NATO, in Europe, in Africa, in the Arctic and elsewhere. So this fits into the pattern we have seen. Also with a closer alignment between China and Russia but now also China and Belarus. And of course it also fits into the pattern of authoritarian powers working closely together in supporting Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, a neighbour to Belarus. We need to remember what kind of regimes we are speaking about. We are speaking about authoritarian regimes. China is oppressing its own people, cracking down on democratic voices – they crushed actually democratic voices in Hong Kong, more assertive behaviour in the South China Sea, threatening neighbours, threatening Taiwan. China is conducting a huge military build-up with no transparency and investing heavily in new modern missiles, nuclear weapons. So again, the fact that they are aligning more and more with Russia, with Belarus just fits into this broader picture of authoritarian powers working together. And of course, that makes it even more important we then work together with our partners also in the Indo-Pacific.
NATO Spokesperson, Farah Dakhlallah – Okay, we’ll go to the gentleman in the fourth row. Sorry, third chair.
Question – Hi, my name is [unclear] I’m working for [unclear] Egyptian TV. Actually, my question is, according to congressional law issued last December in United States, the United States is committed to continue its cooperation with the NATO. So, from the side of the Alliance, the NATO, is there any plans to deal with any changes in power in the United States? I mean, the elections in next November and also on the other side of the North Atlantic. There are some changes we are seeing now in Europe with some right-wing parties are getting some gains in the elections. So whether NATO in general has a plan to deal with all these changes in the both sides of the Atlantic?
NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg – Well, NATO celebrates its 75th anniversary this year and throughout our history we have had many changes of governments and many different political parties in the leadership of the different Allied countries. And often there has been concerns about whether new governments, new political parties will support NATO. And of course in democracies you don’t have any guarantees but the reality is that NATO has proven extremely resilient because every time you have a new party, a new government, they realize that every NATO Ally, is safer in NATO than outside NATO. NATO is in the security interest of all Allies to stand together. And I expect that to continue to be the case, because it is good for North America to have a strong NATO. It’s good for Europe to have a strong NATO. And when it comes to United States, I will just say that, I expect that the United States will remain a strong and loyal NATO Ally, partly because it is in the security interest of the United States.
There are concerns in United States about the rise, the economic strength, the military power that China represents. And of course, United States is big – 25% of the world’s GDP, the world economy, but together with NATO Allies, so we represent 50% – twice as much and 50% of the military might so the reality is that NATO makes also the United States stronger and safer. And this is a strong argument for the United States to continue to support and to remain a loyal and committed NATO Ally.
There’s also very strong bipartisan support in the United States according to opinion polls, but also in the US Congress. And then thirdly, the main criticism from for instance, former President Trump has actually not mainly been against NATO. It has been against NATO Allies not investing in enough in NATO and this has fundamentally changed. When we made the pledge in 2014 to invest more in defence, only three Allies met the NATO guideline of spending 2% of GDP, now 23 Allies. So the clear message from the United States has an impact – European Allies and Canada are really stepping up, 23 Allies will meet the 2% guideline this this year, many will actually spend significantly more and today, Canada – Prime Minister Trudeau announced that also Canada will now put in place a plan to be at 2% within a few years. So that means that all those Allies who are not yet at 2%, they have a plan in place to be at 2%. So I welcome both the fact that so many Allies have reached 2% but also that those Allies who are not yet at 2%, including Canada now have a clear plan in place. So for all these reasons, I expect the United States, as all other Allies to remain committed to NATO because it is in our interest to be together.
NATO Spokesperson, Farah Dakhlallah – Okay, we’ll go to Yonhap. This is the last question I’m afraid.
Question – Thank you so much [unclear]. Secretary, you mentioned about cooperation between NATO and Indo-Pacific partners. I want to ask you then, what kind of role does NATO specifically want ROK to play in terms of helping Ukraine self defence right now? And if NATO wants ROK to give military aid to Ukraine, what kind of military aid does NATO want from ROK? And have you talked with ROK sides about these issues during this Summit? Thank you very much.
NATO Spokesperson, Jens Stoltenberg – I welcome all support to Ukraine. Humanitarian, economic, military support, but it is for each and every country and each and every part of NATO to decide exactly what kind of support they [unclear] to provide to Ukraine. I had today a very good meeting with the President of the Republic of Korea, President Yoon. This is the third time he participates in a NATO Summit. I think that reflects that NATO and the Republic of Korea – we are really stepping up our cooperation. And South Korea, the Republic of Korea is a highly valued NATO partner and we are addressing how we can do more together. Both deepen our political dialogue but also strengthen our practical cooperation. We have agreed an Individual Tailored Partnership Program addressing different areas where we can work together. And of course in the meeting with the President today we also agreed and addressed the fact that what happens in Ukraine today demonstrates how interlinked European security is with security in the Indo-Pacific. Because we all know that Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine is supported by China, by Iran but not least by North Korea. And North Korea has delivered huge amounts of ammunition, it continues to deliver ammunition and the military support to Russia’s illegal war. And of course, this is not something North Korea is doing for free. We are very concerned about potential support that Russia may deliver to North Korea’s nuclear missile programs, which are not only a threat to the Korean peninsula, to the Republic of Korea, but to regional and global stability. So it demonstrates that security is not regional anymore. Security is truly global. And North Korea’s support to Russia’s war in Ukraine and the consequences this will have is one example of that. So for all these reasons, we really welcome the deepened partnership between NATO and the Republic of Korea. I appreciate that I had one more possibility nowadays to meet with the President. And we agreed to step up further cooperation with NATO and South Korea.
NATO Spokesperson, Farah Dakhlallah – Thank you, Secretary General. Sincere apologies but that’s all we have time for. Thank you all for being here.
NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg – Thank you so much.
Source – NATO