Top diplomats of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) met at the organization’s headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, to attend its annual Summit on Monday. According to a press release, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, in his welcome address, said, “We meet at a pivotal moment for our Alliance and our collective security.” He also laid out areas of key decisions for the Summit, including “strengthening political consultations, reinforcing collective defence and enhancing resilience for infrastructure and supply chains.”
Furthermore, Stoltenberg also outlined plans to set up new centres to foster greater technology cooperation among members, aided by an Innovation Fund to support start-ups. He said NATO “must address the security consequences of climate change, including reducing military emissions” and concluded by saying that NATO is the most successful alliance in history because it has changed as the world changes for more than seventy years.
In a private meeting, Stoltenberg also welcomed United States (US) President Joe Biden, who attended the first NATO Summit since taking office. “A strong NATO is good for Europe, but it’s also good for America,” said the Secretary-General. Biden responded that the US had a “sacred commitment” to defend its NATO allies. As reported by CNN, Biden also added, “I want to make it clear: NATO is critically important for US interests in and of itself. If there weren’t one, we’d have to invent one.”
Biden, along with officials from 29 other member states, also came up with a 79-point joint communiqué at the end of the meeting, which among other issues, widely addressed the security threats posed by Russia and China. It says, “Russia’s aggressive actions constitute a threat to Euro-Atlantic security; terrorism in all its forms and manifestations remains a persistent threat to us all. [...] China’s growing influence and international policies can present challenges that we need to address together as an Alliance. [...] China is rapidly expanding its nuclear arsenal with more warheads and many sophisticated delivery systems to establish a nuclear triad. It is opaque in implementing its military modernization and its publicly declared military-civil fusion strategy. It is also cooperating militarily with Russia, including through participation in Russian exercises in the Euro-Atlantic area. We remain concerned with China’s frequent lack of transparency and use of disinformation.”
The communiqué also addressed the alliance’s impending troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. It states: “Withdrawing our troops does not mean ending our relationship with Afghanistan. [...] Recalling our previous commitments, NATO will continue to provide training and financial support to the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces, including through the Afghan National Army Trust Fund. In addition, NATO will retain a Senior Civilian Representative’s Office in Kabul to continue diplomatic engagement and enhance our partnership with Afghanistan.”
The communiqué concluded by stating that the members will strengthen the security of cyber and communications systems and “continue to protect the Alliance against espionage attempts.” It also added that the NATO members will continuously pursue greater coherence, improved effectiveness, and new efficiencies supporting the flexibility and responsiveness needed as an alliance.
The grouping’s next meeting will be held in Spain in 2022, followed by one in Lithuania.
SUMMARY: NATO 2021 Summit
The leaders of NATO nations met in Belgium to attend the organisation’s 2021 summit. The group discussed security issues such as China and the US’ withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.
June 15, 2021
SOURCE: YVES HERMAN| AP