“The 65-year-old Norwegian urged the members of the alliance not to “exchange short-term economic interests for long-term security needs””, — write: www.radiosvoboda.org
Speaking from NATO headquarters in Brussels on September 19, Stoltenberg highlighted the achievements since taking office in 2014, as well as the current challenges.
“The good news is that we have fulfilled the promise we made 10 years ago (to spend at least 2% of GDP on defense – ed.), but the bad news is that it is no longer enough for our security. We must be ready to pay the price for peace. The more money, the stronger our defense, the more effective our deterrence, the greater our security,” Stoltenberg said.
The 65-year-old Norwegian urged the members of the alliance not to “exchange short-term economic interests for long-term security needs.”
Speaking about Russia’s war against Ukraine, Stoltenberg emphasized that “Ukraine must interact with Russia from a position of strength.” According to him, any future peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia “must be supported by strong and permanent military support, not just pieces of paper.” He also warned that “military power has its limits”, saying that “the purpose of any future military operation outside NATO territory must be clearly defined”.
“We have to be honest about what we can achieve and what we can’t,” he said of the union of two North American and 30 European nations.
Former Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, who will return to his homeland to become head of the central bank, will hand over the reins to former Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on October 1.