(Brussels) NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is warning Allies on both sides of the Atlantic against any “isolationist” temptation in a farewell speech he is due to deliver on Thursday, just days before his departure from the Alliance.
After ten years at the head of NATO, the Norwegian leader issued several warnings and gave some advice in this last speech, at the risk of irritating some of the 32 member countries.
“Voices have been raised on both sides of the Atlantic calling for America and Europe to take different paths. […] “Isolationism will not guarantee anyone’s security,” Stoltenberg is expected to say in the speech, excerpts of which have been released by NATO.
Republican White House candidate Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized his European allies for being “bad payers,” even going so far as to threaten to abandon them in the face of a Russian attack if they did not contribute enough to funding the Alliance.
The relevance of the Atlantic Alliance has been questioned. It has been seen as divided, obsolete, brain-dead. But the reality is that NATO is strong, united and more important than ever.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg
It will still be necessary to ensure its future.
“We must be prepared to pay the price of peace,” the NATO chief plans to warn, calling on the Allies to spend more. “The more money, the stronger our defense, the more effective our deterrence, and the greater our security,” he assures, according to the released excerpts.
“Bad news”
Only 23 of the 32 member countries have reached the goal set by NATO ten years ago of spending at least 2% of their gross domestic product (GDP) on military expenditure. This is “good news”, but “the bad news is that it is no longer enough to guarantee our security”, he adds.
Several European countries are reluctant to spend more, after years of cuts in arms spending, made possible by the American military commitment to the alliance.
Regarding the war in Ukraine, which Mr. Stoltenberg confronted at the head of NATO from the first days, after the annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014, he intends to call on the Allies to talk with Moscow, at the risk of irritating some, such as Poland or the Baltic States.
“We need to talk to our neighbors, no matter how difficult it is,” he says, according to the excerpts. But “Ukraine must engage with Russia from a position of strength,” he adds immediately. And, “any future peace agreement must be underpinned by strong and sustained military support, not just pieces of paper,” Stoltenberg also warns.
France, criticized for having called for “not humiliating” Russia, a few months after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, should appreciate this.
On the other hand, she could be more critical of the appeal that the current head of NATO intends to make not to give in to the protectionist temptation. “Protectionism against Allies does not ensure our security,” he is expected to warn.
France is fighting to ensure that EU aid to the arms industry primarily benefits European companies.
Mr Stoltenberg also intends to remind certain European countries, tempted by the maintenance of strong commercial relations with Moscow, such as Hungary, not to make a mistake about their priorities.
“Freedom is more important than free trade. We must not trade our long-term security needs for short-term interests,” he must warn.
After ten years at the head of the organization, the former Norwegian Prime Minister leaves his post on 1er October to be replaced by another former head of government, the Dutchman Mark Rutte.