Category: North Atlantic Treaty Organization

The first episode introduces the podcast’s co-hosts: former NATO Spokesperson Jamie Shea, along with young content creators Ben Wheeler, Maciej Musiał and Paulius Mikolaitis, who are helping tell NATO’s story to the next generation.

Join them in this initial episode on a 15-minute whirlwind tour of NATO’s 75-year history – from the creation of the Alliance in April 1949, to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, to NATO’s first out-of-area operations and the first wave of post-Cold War enlargement in the 1990s. The following episodes will cover all of these topics, and many more, in greater depth.

The podcast is available on YouTube, and on all major podcast platforms, including:

NATO will co-host the fourth edition of the NATO Youth Summit, together with the Aspen Institute, Aspen Institute Romania, and the Swedish Defence University. The summit  will take place in two locations across the Atlantic – Miami, (US), and Stockholm (Sweden) – with virtual watch parties also happening across the Alliance. 
 
Successful Youth Summit challenge participants will receive  a sponsored seat in one of the two event locations. Eligible participants can enrol in the challenge by submitting proposals explaining their role in shaping a more secure tomorrow. Submissions can be presented through video engagement, artistic expression (i.e. photography, poetry or graphic design) or as a short essay. A variety of formats are accepted and creativity and innovation are actively encouraged. In addition to attending the summit, winning participants may also be invited to present their proposal on stage. To learn more about the challenge and to apply, please visit: www.natoyouthsummit.com.
 
The NATO Youth Summit is a flagship event designed to engage young audiences from Allied nations, partner countries and beyond. The agenda will amplify  young voices and raise awareness of our shared security environment. The summit will delve into topics  as varied as NATO’s role in preserving peace, the need for diverse perspectives in the security arena, efforts to combat disinformation, the impact of emerging technologies, human rights, the security implications of climate change, and the importance of integrating gender perspectives into the security agenda. 
 
More information about the Youth Summit programme, its speakers, and opportunities to participate can be found online here –  www.natoyouthsummit.com 
The website will continue to be updated in the coming weeks.

“Latvia has been a highly valued Ally since 2004 and is now leading by example with its increased spending on defence and significant support to Ukraine,” said Admiral Bauer, welcoming new capabilities of the National Armed Forces, such as air and coastal defence. “Latvia is also investing in military infrastructure for training and exercises, hosting Canada-led Allied forces and contributing to NATO’s international missions.”

In his meeting with President Edgars Rinkēvičs at Riga Castle, Admiral Bauer discussed regional defence planning and the upcoming NATO summit in Washington DC, as well as the continued support to Ukraine.  

The meetings with Minister of Defence Andris Sprūds, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Krišjānis Kariņš and Chief of Defence Leonīds Kalniņš focused on collective defence and the strengthening of Latvia’s defence posture. “NATO and national defence plans are more interconnected than ever before.  NATO is stronger and readier than it has ever been,” said Admiral Bauer. He also joined Minister Kariņš in a round-table session on defence and security with representatives of media and academia, to discuss key political and military strategic issues within NATO.

Together with Minister of Defence Andris Sprūds, Admiral Bauer opened a photo exhibition at the Freedom Monument in Riga, portraying 20 years of Latvia’s NATO membership. In his speech, Admiral Bauer praised Latvia for its courageous devotion to freedom. Admiral Bauer referred to the visit he made to Kyiv last week, where he was inspired by the courage and focus of the Ukrainians. “Despite all the destruction, despite all the suffering, Ukraine is strong. And they deserve nothing less than our strongest support. This monument here in Riga shows that no matter how high the stakes, no matter how complicated the situation, democracy will triumph over autocracy. Freedom will triumph over oppression”.

On the final day of the visit, Admiral Bauer met with the director and senior staff of the NATO StratCom Centre of Excellence in Riga and visited the LMT mobile telecommunications company, a partner of the Latvian Ministry of Defence.

The meeting was held at ambassadorial level and was convened at Ukraine’s request. Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana chaired the Council and Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov joined via video conference. The Deputy Secretary General said: “Russia’s continued attacks against Ukraine’s civilians and critical infrastructure demonstrate an urgent need for our continued support.”

Allies are providing unprecedented military, financial and humanitarian aid to Ukraine. France will soon send more Caesar howitzers and several Allies have joined Czechia’s initiative to procure 800,000 additional artillery shells. NATO is establishing the Joint Analysis, Training and Education Centre in Bydgoscz, Poland where Ukrainian forces can train alongside Allied troops. In addition, under NATO’s Comprehensive Assistance Package (CAP), the Alliance is supplying crucial non-lethal support.

Allies agreed at the Vilnius Summit in July 2023 to create the NATO-Ukraine Council. It serves as a forum for crisis consultations and decision-making between NATO and Ukraine.

NATO experts and researchers from across North Macedonia convened in Skopje on 28 March 2024 to explore opportunities for scientific cooperation as part of the Alliance’s SPS Programme. The Information Day, which was organised in cooperation with North Macedonia’s Ministry of Defence, aimed to highlight the achievements of SPS projects in which the country has participated, and to facilitate the launch of new research and development activities.

Around 70 scientists participated in the Information Day, which was held at the Parliament’s Club of Members. The event featured SPS-hosted sessions about evaluation criteria and thematic areas of interest, strategies for implementing results-oriented research and development activities, and developing successful project proposals. Scientists also shared experiences related to their involvement in SPS projects, especially in the field of advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, drones and novel materials. Discussions surrounding their accomplishments and expertise led to the forming of new multidisciplinary ideas aligned with the Alliance’s areas of interest, which may be pursued in the upcoming SPS Call for Proposals in April 2024.

North Macedonia’s Minister of Defence, Slavjanka Petrovska, delivered opening remarks, encouraging the North Macedonian academic community to continue to strengthen its research capacities for scientific results aimed at societal progress and well-being, in collaboration with NATO Allies and partners. “Our Alliance is much more than a political-military partnership of countries who share common values. It is a family of democratic states that base the development, security and prosperity of their citizens on the foundations of science and scientific results,” said Defence Minister Petrovska.

“SPS collaboration is in line with the priorities of NATO and North Macedonia, adapting to the evolving security environment, and increasingly emphasising the utilisation of technologies to address emerging challenges,” added Dr Claudio Palestini, Head of the NATO SPS Programme.

Through its activities, the NATO SPS Programme provides opportunities for academics, experts and officials in North Macedonia, as well as other NATO member and partner countries, to develop proposals for innovative scientific projects. Participation in these activities helps to build and expand international scientific networks and to exchange knowledge on security-related topics.

The Deputy Chair of the NATO Military Committee, Lieutenant General Andrew M. Rohling, welcomed the delegation, acknowledging the valuable partnership between NATO and Algeria. 

“Algeria is a long standing partner to NATO. Our partnership is based on shared values and challenges, and our shared commitment for stability in the region. To promote that stability, NATO stands committed to deepen its cooperation with Algeria,” said Lt. General Rohling. 

The Algerian Delegation briefed members of the NATO Military Committee on the nature of security threats the country is facing and Algeria’s security mechanisms and efforts. They include capacity building with local partners, increasing intelligence activities and sharing expertise on the fight against terrorism. Members of the delegation also met with Lt. General Rohling and other senior NATO officials.

The visit was hosted by the Cooperative Security Division of the International Military Staff. This engagement is important as NATO focuses on strengthening relations and practical cooperation with partners in the run-up to the Washington Summit this summer. On 20 March an independent group of experts, appointed to reflect on NATO’s southern neighbourhood, also presented their final report to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. The report proposes concrete recommendations to shape NATO’s approach to its southern neighbourhood – particularly the Middle East, North Africa and Sahel regions. 

In 2000, Algeria joined the Mediterranean Dialogue, a NATO partnership forum that aims to contribute to regional security and stability in the Mediterranean through political dialogue and practical cooperation.

NFTE is not only strengthening the capabilities of Allied air forces but it is also promoting Allied unity.  Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană said: “Unity doesn’t just happen, it has to be earned. One way of achieving this is by systematically training together and forging trusting relationships in the process. NATO Flight Training Europe is an excellent example of this. This important multinational effort will help us to break down national silos towards a shared approach to training the next generations of aircrews.”
 
With the latest expansion of the number of training campuses to fourteen locations, NFTE is now facilitating training in seven Allied counties. The rapid growth of NFTE has attracted interest around the Alliance with several Allies expected to join in the first half of 2024. The placement of the first group of students means that Allied aircrews will have access to cutting-edge training opportunities.

Chaired by Lieutenant General Andrew Rohling, Deputy Chair of the NATO Military Committee, the discussions focused on key lines of efforts spearheaded by NATO’s Allied Command Transformation, including the work on current and future defence planning, capability development needs for adaptation, and experimentation initiatives. 

In his opening address, General Lavigne highlighted the urgency imposed by the current geostrategic environment, adding that “even through NATO is stronger today than ever before, we are engaged in a race we cannot afford to lose. It’s not a static situation, but one where our adversary is currently building and rebuilding its assets faster than we are.” He also emphasized ‘the need for fast and profound transformation”, noting that “where innovation allows us to deal with rapidly evolving threats, it must also covers all levels including material aspects, as well as cultural and procedural changes.”

While at the JALLC, the NATO Military Committee was briefed by its Commander, Commodore Fernando Artilheiro, on the strategic observations from the war in Ukraine. Insights gleaned from the conflict in Ukraine will enable NATO to build on previous experiences, apply those lessons to future operations and planning, and ultimately, bolster the Alliance’s capacity to respond effectively to similar situations in the future.

The ACT visit focused on the significance of adapting and transforming to modern security challenges, initiatives such as the NATO Warfighting Capstone Concept and the implementation of NATO’s Warfare Development Agenda, are essential to ensuring the Alliance’s effectiveness in responding to existing and future threats. As Lieutenant General Rohling underscored the importance of this visit, “these two days have been an opportunity to build up Allied awareness of NATO’s transformation and the challenges it faces. General Lavigne and his team’s commitment to a faster and deeper transformation of our Alliance is key to our future success.”

The programme also included a briefing by Vice-Admiral Jorge Nobre de Sousa, Deputy Joint Operational Commander, on threats to Portugal’s national security, its ongoing response and its contributions to NATO.

The NATO Military Committee concluded their trip with a visit to the STRIKFORNATO headquarters, where they were welcomed by its Deputy Commander, Rear Admiral James Morley. The 32 Military Representatives received an update on the headquarters’ activities, which provides agile and responsive multi-domain joint effects across NATO area of responsibility, in order to preserve, and if necessary, restore the security and integrity of the Alliance. Addressing the military and civilian staff at STRIKFORNATO, Lieutenant General Rohling thanked them for their ongoing efforts, especially for organising training and exercises, which contribute to the Alliance’s collective deterrence and defence.