Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg wrapped up three days of talks at the Munich Security Conference on Sunday (18 February 2024), underlining that the world has become more dangerous but that NATO has become stronger.
On Saturday, speaking alongside U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts and Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, Mr Stoltenberg said that the Alliance never takes peace for granted, but that there was no imminent military threat to any NATO Ally. Mr Stoltenberg pointed to record increases in Allied defence spending and arms production as examples of how the Alliance is adapting to a more dangerous world. On Ukraine, Mr Stoltenberg welcomed that European Allies and Canada are stepping up aid to Kyiv, and he warned that there was a "vital and urgent need" for the U.S. to follow suit. He further called on Russia to answer "serious questions" about the death of Alexei Navalny, underlining that Russia is ultimately responsible, and said that the best way to honour Navalny's memory was to continue supporting the Ukrainians fighting for freedom and independence.
In the margins of the conference, the Secretary General held a range of bilateral meetings, including with His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan; His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani; Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen of Denmark; Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre of Norway; Prime Minister Talat Xhaferi of North Macedonia; and President Jakov Milatović of Montenegro.
In talks with two bipartisan U.S. Senate delegations, Mr Stoltenberg stressed that a strong NATO is in the U.S. national interest, and underlined the urgency of the United States approving further aid to Ukraine. He further pointed out that support to Ukraine is an example of true transatlantic burden-sharing, and welcomed historic increases in Allied defence spending.
While in Munich, the Secretary General also met with U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry; CEO of Google and Alphabet Sundar Pichai; President and CEO of Lockheed Martin James Taiclet; and a delegation from Boeing including President and CEO of Boeing Defense Ted Colbert, Senior VP of Global Public Policy Stephen Biegun, and Dr Brendan Nelson, President of Boeing Global.
On Friday, the Secretary General attended the CSU Transatlantic Forum with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the Minister-President of Bavaria, Markus Söder.
