NATO’s role has been revitalized by Russia’s arms buildup, its aggression against Crimea and Ukraine, and its threatening moves towards eastern Europe. During the brief period between the fall of the USSR and Vladimir Putin’s return to an expansionist stance, NATO became a key player in the fight against terror.
Speaking at the organization’s recent Parliamentary Assembly session in November, the organization’s Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, addressed the main concerns and status of the defensive alliance, which will gain an additional member this spring when Montenegro is expected to join.
According to Stoltenberg, defense spending continues to be a key issue. He noted that it has been his “main focus” since assuming his leadership post. He remains concerned that some NATO members are spending less than 2% of their annual budgets on defense. “After years of sliding defence spending, we have seen a shift. At our Wales’ Summit in 2014, Allies committed to spend 2% of GDP on defence within a decade. That commitment is already bearing fruit. In 2015, we stopped the defence cuts and we saw a spending increase across Europe and Canada. I expect further increase of 3% for European Allies and Canada this year. So we are moving in the right direction but we still have a long way to go [the] 2% target really matters.”
NATO is increasing its defensive presence in the eastern part of the Alliance, including the deployment of four multinational battalions to the Baltic States and Poland. Earlier this year, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States each committed to lead one of those battalions. The alliance is taking steps to strengthen its presence in the Black Sea region. A Romanian-led multinational brigade will be formed. Work continues on additional defensive measures in the air and at sea, even as the organization seeks additional dialogue with Moscow. Stoltenberg emphasized that NATO is “constantly looking into what more we can do with Ukraine to strengthen our partnership…” He met with President Poroshenko to implement a “substantial package” to increase cooperation.
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According to the Secretary General, “NATO-EU cooperation is now closer than it has ever been,” particularly in countering hybrid threats, enhancing cyber security and coordinating exercises.
Stoltenberg addressed the ongoing discussions about the creation of a European army. He noted “The message is that this is not about creating an alternative to NATO, but this is about strengthening the European pillar inside NATO. …The only thing we have to avoid is that when Europe starts to strengthen its defences it is done in a way which is complimentary to NATO, not competing with NATO… Let me also add that, this is in one way obvious, because we have to remember that especially after Brexit, EU is important but, compared to the rest of NATO, especially when you take into account United States, of course NATO has capabilities and strength which is not covered by the European Union. Eighty percent of NATO’s defence spending will come from non-EU allies after Brexit, eighty percent and three out of four battalions which we are going to deploy to the eastern part of the alliance, to the Baltic countries and Poland, will be led by non-EU allies. So it goes in a way of the United Kingdom, after Brexit, Canada and the United States. So I think it’s obvious that we cannot decouple European security from North America and we cannot decouple the security of the European Union members from the rest of Europe…”
Turning to NATO’s largest member, the United States, Stoltenberg said: “I welcome the incoming Administration in Washington… I look forward to working with President-elect Donald Trump. The partnership between Europe and the United States has been rock-solid for almost 70 years. A partnership that has always received bi-partisan support in the United States. And better burden-sharing will make the transatlantic bond even stronger. I had the pleasure of speaking to President-elect Donald Trump…and he expressed very strong support for the NATO alliance and he expressed a strong commitment on continued strong NATO or US support for the NATO alliance and US support for the security of Europe and collective defence. So, I look forward to work with him and I’m absolutely certain that also with the new Administration, we will have an Administration in the United States which is absolutely committed to the NATO alliance and he also stated, as he has stated in the election campaign, that he will strengthen further US defence capabilities and increase defence spending. But, of course, he also pointed out during the election campaign and in the phone call he and I had on Friday, the importance of increased defence spending among European allies, and that’s something I absolutely…understand…we have decided, we have pledged, that we will stop the cuts and increase and aim at two percent within the decade…”