The European Union and NATO must work more closely together / Article

It is impossible to predict when the next crisis will be, but it is important that we are prepared when it comes, emphasizes the NATO Secretary General.

Together we are stronger

The invitation by the Nordic Council to the NATO Secretary General to address parliamentarians at a session in Copenhagen is unusual in itself. Two of the Nordic countries (Finland and Sweden) are not members of the military alliance, and this has always been respected in the choice of topics to be discussed and the guests to be invited.

This time, an exception has been made for NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg, and the leadership of the Nordic Council explains that this is to emphasize the growing importance of national security and defense concerns.

Stoltenberg’s message to the meeting’s delegates was that, in a context where Russia and China pose a threat to Western democracies, the key is to improve our ability to resist the threat together.

“I do not believe in Europe alone, I do not believe in the United States alone, but I believe in Europe and North America, which work closely together within NATO and also with our close partners, Finland and Sweden. If we achieve this, we will be able to continue to live in deep peace, ”says Stoltenberg.

NATO protects the Baltics

At the request of journalists to assess the risks in our Baltic region, the NATO Secretary General described them as follows:

“We do not see any imminent threat to any of the Baltic states. But what we are seeing is an increased Russian presence and significant Russian military forces in the Baltic region. Therefore, NATO also responded with an increased presence in the Baltic region.

With troops, with a greater presence in the airspace, on land and also at sea. And we have also increased our strength. They are ready to act quickly if necessary. NATO is present in the Baltic region, in the Baltic States. ”

As you know, with the aim of developing a security and deterrence policy against a potential aggressor, NATO is also emerging a new master plan for protection against any possible Russian attack, and the guidelines for this new plan were agreed by NATO defense ministers at the end of October.

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