NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg visits Germany to discuss security issues and Ukraine war

Europe, News April 27, 2024 , by IRIA No Comments

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg arrived in Berlin to meet with German leadership, including Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and members of the Foreign Affairs and the Defense Committee, to discuss common security threats and NATO’s support for Ukraine.

During his visit to Berlin, NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg thanked German Chancellor Scholz for his country’s leading role in NATO and support for Ukraine and said, “Germany makes major contributions to our shared security.”

Stoltenberg underscored that Germany is bolstering its presence in the eastern part of the Alliance by deploying a brigade to Lithuania and increasing its contributions to Baltic Air Policing. He also highlighted that “Germany has committed 12,000 troops to Steadfast Defender, the largest NATO exercise since the Cold War.”

The NATO secretary general applauded the German Chancellor’s “historic and very important Zeitenwende” for leading to major increases in defense spending. He said, “The fact that Germany now invests 2% of GDP in defense matters for all Allies.”

NATO chief Stoltenberg and German Chancellor also discussed the ongoing support for Ukraine. Stoltenberg pointed out the crucial support of Germany to Ukraine and said, Germany is the biggest European contributor of military aid for Ukraine.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz — *^{NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg holding a bilateral meeting with the Federal Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz. (Image Credit: NATO)}*

Stoltenberg said, “I strongly believe that other Allies should follow the example of Germany.” He added that other NATO Allies, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands, have also stepped up support for Ukraine. “It is our responsibility to turn these contributions into deliveries quickly,” the NATO chief said.

According to the NATO statement, Stoltenberg warned that the Allies must “remain vigilant regarding covert Russian activities across the Alliance” and noted that Germany has arrested individuals accused of espionage and sabotage in connection with hostile state activity to benefit Russia.

“NATO Allies stand in full solidarity with Germany and the United Kingdom. Such acts are dangerous and unacceptable. They will not deter us from providing support to Ukraine, and we are coordinating closely in our response to any hostile act against NATO Allies,” he added.

While in Germany, the NATO secretary general also met with Germany’s parliamentarians from the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Defence Committee of the German Bundestag. He also visited the 73 Tactical Air Wing at Laage Air Base, where he flew in a German Eurofighter.

Today I visited #Germany & flew with @Team_Luftwaffe in a #eurofighter jet, witnessing firsthand how the German air force helps to protect #NATO airspace, incl. over the Baltic Sea. We also met the Swedish #jasgripen for air-to-air refuelling. #WeAreNATO pic.twitter.com/6hq1wHuRzK
— Jens Stoltenberg (@jensstoltenberg) April 26, 2024

According to the NATO statement, Stoltenberg called his flight “a great experience,” adding the Laage Airbase is “important for NATO because what they do from here is to educate the best pilots in the world and also to support the different air policing missions, which is important in a more challenging security environment.”

The NATO secretary general also met with the Chief of the German Air Force, Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz, and thanked him for his vital role in supporting Ukraine.