Stoltenberg in his farewell speech: NATO countries must be ready to "pay the price" for peace
2024-09-19 21:15:46
TiranaPost
In his farewell speech after leading NATO for a decade, Jens Stoltenberg warned NATO members to be united and said they must "be ready to pay the price for peace" in the face of a Russia dangerous.
Speaking at NATO headquarters in Brussels on September 19, Stoltenberg outlined the achievements since taking over the leadership of the alliance in 2014, as well as the current challenges.
"The good news is that we have fulfilled the commitment made 10 years ago [that member countries spend 2 percent of their GDP on defense], but the bad news is that this is no longer enough," he said. Stoltenberg, hinting that the 2 percent spending target will not be enough to protect the alliance against Russia.
"We must be ready to pay the price for peace. More money, stronger defenses, the more efficient our defenses, the greater our security," he said.
Soltenberg warned member states not to "trade off short-term economic interests for long-term security needs," saying "protectionism against allies does not protect our security."
Speaking about Russia's war against Ukraine, which has caused disagreements among some members who have questioned NATO's strong support for Kiev, Stoltenberg said "Ukraine must confront Russia from a position of strength."
Any future peace deal between Ukraine and Russia, he said, "must be backed by strong and lasting military support, not just 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 and cannot achieve," he said.
Stoltenberg, Norway's former prime minister, who will return home to become central bank governor, will hand over the job to former Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte on October 1.
In his final months in office, Stoltenberg has sought to unite NATO members as Hungary has presented obstacles to the alliance's support for Ukraine, while Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said he will not provide funding or military equipment to to help Kiev.
