NATO and U.S. Discuss Security Issues Facing the Alliance
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg discussed security challenges facing the Alliance in a series of bilateral meetings at the Munich Security Conference on Friday and Saturday.
He met with the U.S. National Security Advisor General H.R. McMaster, with whom he discussed the security issues facing the Alliance, as well as burden-sharing and the preparations for the July NATO summit.
The summit and burden sharing among Allies were also on the agenda of the meeting between the Secretary General and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. The Secretary General thanked Mr Rutte for the contributions of the Netherlands to NATO operations.
Mr Stoltenberg also met with United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres. They discussed the long-standing NATO-UN relations.
Meeting with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi of Iraq, the Secretary General congratulated him on the major progress in defeating ISIS and updated him on NATO’s decision to initiate planning for a training mission in Iraq, building on The Alliance’s current training efforts.
According to NATO, the Secretary General also met with the Austrian Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz to discuss NATO’s partnership with Austria.
In talks with President Petro Poroshenko of Ukraine, the Secretary General reiterated NATO’s strong support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The two leaders discussed the security situation in Ukraine and plans for UN peace-keepers, as well as NATO’s continued support for Ukraine. Mr. Stoltenberg stressed that the Alliance will continue to provide political and practical support to Ukraine and work to further deepen cooperation.
As part of NATO’s regular dialogue with Russia, the Secretary General met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. They discussed the situation in Ukraine and the need to implement the Minsk agreements, as well as transparency and risk-reduction in Europe. They agreed to explore the possibility of another meeting of the NATO-Russia Council.
In Munich Mr. Stoltenberg also addressed the Munich Security Conference and delivered a keynote speech at a gathering organised by the Bundesverband der Deutschen Industrie (BDI).
He also discussed transatlantic relations, NATO’s adaptation and progress in burden-sharing with a Congressional Delegation of the United States.
Courtesy: NATO
