Category: North Atlantic Treaty Organization

The Secretary General welcomed NATO’s deepening partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region with South Korea, Australia, Japan, and New Zealand who are among NATO’s closest partners. Mr Stoltenberg underlined NATO’s commitment to deepen practical cooperation with Indo-Pacific partners in several practical areas, including cyber defence, counter-disinformation, and emerging technologies.

The Republic of Korea is an important and long-standing NATO partner. This partnership was further strengthened with the establishment of an Individually Tailored Partnership Programme in July 2023. This is the first time that NATO has engaged with the Jeju Forum, which brings together academics, politicians, and business leaders from across the world to promote international cooperation.

Throughout the visit, the Military Committee was briefed by Finnish military officials on Finland’s comprehensive security and defence strategy. Finland’s geostrategic environment, comprehensive security model and the success of Finland’s Security Strategy for Society were topics discussed across the visit. Finland’s bilateral and multilateral defence cooperation with regional and international allies was discussed within the context of Finland becoming the 31st member of the NATO Alliance in April 2023. 

On Tuesday 28th May, the Military Committee observed the operations of Exercise Northern Forest 24 in Rovajärvi. The interoperability of the 6900 troops from Finland, Norway and the US participating in the exercise demonstrated to the Military Committee Finland’s commitment to enhancing military interoperability and readiness between Allies. The Military Committee also had the opportunity to observe Finland’s conscription system illustrated through the participation of conscripted Finnish soldiers in the exercise.

On the final day of the trip, the Military Committee was joined by Finland’s Chief of Defence, General Janne Jaakkola. The Military Committee also had the opportunity to engage with Finnish defence industry and technological representatives.

Chair of the Military Committee Admiral Rob Bauer emphasised the importance of the visit in exemplifying Finland’s defence capabilities and how this contributes to the Alliance’s collective defence. Admiral Bauer highlighted how Finland’s comprehensive defence strategy embodies the Finnish ‘sisu’, demonstrating an extraordinary resilience and determination in the face of adversity. Admiral Bauer emphasised the security of Finland’s position within NATO, and the mutual promise of security shared between all 32 Allies: ‘Finland has 31 Allies, 31 friends, who will protect them no matter what; and 31 Allies can also count on Finland for their protection if they need help. Just as we can count on Finland’.

The visit of the Military Committee to Finland is the first time the Military Committee visited Finland since it became a member of the Alliance in April 2023.
 

Participants received updates on strategic developments in shipping, civil aviation and surface transport systems, as well as the impact of the global security situation on different modes of transport. These were provided by representatives from Allied Command Operations, Joint Support & Enabling Command, NATO Support and Procurement Agency, NATO Shipping Centre, Multinational Sealift Steering Committee, the Finnish Defence Forces, and multiple commercial transport operators.

With critical assets and infrastructure increasingly targeted by hostile actors, enhancing resilience through civil preparedness – including in the commercial transport sector – is an important aspect of taking a whole society approach to security. The findings of these meetings will help improve cooperation between civil and military authorities on resilience.

Finland’s Minister of Transport and Communications, Lulu Ranne addressed the gathering saying it would help “firmly integrate the strengthening of Finland’s transport infrastructure into NATO’s broad, overall transport planning.”
 

Mauritania is a long-standing NATO partner, having joined the Alliance’s Mediterranean Dialogue partnership forum in 1995. Since then, NATO-Mauritania partnership has grown significantly, with progress made in several areas, including special operations forces, maritime security intelligence, military career transition programmes, stockpile management regarding small arms and light weapons, and military education. 

Deputy Secretary General Geoană also reaffirmed the importance of NATO’s southern neighbourhood. A group of independent experts appointed by Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to support NATO’s reflection on its southern neighbourhood recently published its final report and key findings. The aim is for Allies to agree a set of measures to strengthen the Alliance’s approach to its southern neighbourhood in time for the NATO Summit in Washington in July.

The Mediterranean Dialogue (MD) is a partnership forum that aims to contribute to security and stability in the wider Mediterranean region, and promote good relations and understanding among participating countries and NATO Allies. Current members include Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia.

“NATO and the European Union have worked very closely together to provide unprecedented military, economic, and financial support to Ukraine,” Mr Stoltenberg said. He emphasised the need to step up the delivery of “ammunition, air defence systems, and in particular the most advanced ones, the Patriot systems.”

Ahead of Washington Summit, NATO is working on plans to further coordinate the provision of equipment and training, underpinned by a financial pledge. Mr Stoltenberg underlined the need to “prevent gaps and delays as we have seen recently,” and the importance of providing “predictable, accountable support for the long haul,” so that Ukraine can prevail as a sovereign, independent nation.

Mr Stoltenberg added that NATO is “working closely with the transatlantic defence industrial base to ramp up production,” both to support Ukraine and for Allies’ own stocks.

NATO Allies acknowledged the urgency of providing additional military support, and discussed plans to put support on a firmer and more enduring basis at the Washington Summit in July. Speaking at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Sofia on Monday, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said: “I strongly believe that we need a firmer, stronger institutionalized structure for the support. Ad-hoc, short term, voluntary announcements are good, but in the long term, we need more predictable, stronger support for Ukraine.” He added: “I hope that Allies can agree a multiyear financial pledge because the Ukrainians need more long-term knowledge, more predictability to plan and to invest, to ensure that they have the forces they need to defend against the Russian invaders, but also in the future to deter against future Russian aggression.”

Mr Geoană commended Ukraine’s work in implementing the requirements of the adapted Annual National Programme, and Kyiv’s progress in pursuing reforms, saying that these will bring Ukraine closer to its future in NATO. 

When Allied leaders meet in July, they will take decisions on strengthening deterrence and defence, long-term support to Ukraine, and NATO’s global partnerships. On deterrence and defence, Mr Stoltenberg welcomed that Allies are “investing in new, modern high-end military capabilities” and “increasing the readiness of our forces,” all underpinned by major increases in defence spending across the Alliance. On support to Ukraine, the Secretary General underlined an urgent need to step up now, but also for the long haul. “I have suggested that at the Summit, we agree a big NATO role in coordinating and providing security assistance and training for Ukraine,” he said. “I strongly believe that we need a firmer, stronger institutionalized structure for the support. Ad-hoc, short term, voluntary announcements are good – but in the long term, we need more predictable, stronger support for Ukraine.” On partnerships, Mr Stoltenberg stressed that “security is not regional, security is global,” pointing to the importance of working with partners from the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.

Later on Monday, the Secretary General met with Bulgarian Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev. Mr Stoltenberg thanked the Prime Minister for Bulgaria’s “critical role in maintaining the security of the Black Sea, the Western Balkans and beyond,” including through contributions to NATO’s KFOR peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, the Alliance’s training mission in Iraq, and by hosting a NATO multinational battlegroup which helps to deter Russian aggression. He further praised Bulgaria for increasing defence spending by nearly 20% last year, and for meeting the guideline of spending 2% of GDP on defence in 2024. “Bulgaria is a reliable member of the Alliance that helps to strengthen our collective defence,” said Mr Stoltenberg.