Stoltenberg urges increased weapons support for Ukraine in NATO farewell speech

Outgoing NATO chief emphasized the importance of supporting Ukraine, maintaining transatlantic unity, and learning from past experiences. He outlined key lessons from his tenure and warned against isolationism and over-dependence on China.

Sep 20, 2024 - 12:00

Stoltenberg urges increased weapons support for Ukraine in NATO farewell speech

stoltenberg urges increased weapons support ukraine nato farewell speech jens delivering his secretary general german marshall fund event reflections challenging decade 19 september 2024 natoint stoltenberg-farewell-speech-240919a-00

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg delivered his farewell speech at a German Marshall Fund event on 19 September, reflecting on a decade of challenges and transformations within the Alliance. In his address, Stoltenberg emphasized the continued importance of supporting Ukraine and maintaining strong transatlantic bonds.

Jens Stoltenberg has led NATO since 2014, with his term set to end on 1 October 2024. His successor is expected to be Mark Rutte, former Prime Minister of the Netherlands. Stoltenberg is anticipated to lead the Munich Security Conference starting in February 2025.

Ukraine support

Stoltenberg urged NATO allies to provide more weapons to Ukraine, stating,

“The more weapons for Ukraine we are able to deliver, the more likely it is that we can reach a peace and end to the war.”

The outgoing Secretary General addressed the issue of defense spending, noting that while all NATO allies now invest or plan to invest at least 2% of GDP in defense, this is “no longer enough.” He called for significantly higher defense spending in the coming years to meet agreed capability targets.

Earlier, US presidential candidate Donald Trump said that he could quickly end the war in Ukraine, but did not answer whether he wanted Ukraine to win the war.

Now, Stoltenberg warned against the notion of quickly ending the war, suggesting that it would lead to Russian occupation rather than peace.

China

Regarding relations with China, Stoltenberg cautioned against repeating mistakes made previously with Russia, saying,

“Depending on Chinese rare earth minerals, exporting advanced technologies, and allowing foreign control of critical infrastructure weakens our resilience and creates risks.”

He emphasized that freedom is more important than free trade.

Ukraine in NATO

Stoltenberg reaffirmed NATO’s commitment to Ukraine’s future membership, stating,

“NATO’s door is open. Ukraine will join.”

He also emphasized the need for any future peace deal with Russia to be backed by strong military support for Ukraine and credible security guarantees.

Transatlantic unity

The Secretary General warned against isolationism and the voices calling for America and Europe to part ways.

“Investing in the transatlantic relationship is the only winning way forward,” Stoltenberg said, underscoring the mutual benefits of the Alliance for both European and North American members.

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