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Jens Stoltenberg
WASHINGTON (EFE) – The time has come to support freedom and democracy, and the place to support freedom and democracy is Ukraine, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Atlantic Alliance.
“Now is the time to stand for freedom and democracy. That place is Ukraine,” he said at a ceremony at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, the same spot where leaders of 32 Allied nations met on April 4, 1949, to celebrate the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty.
Ukraine, a challenging crisis
The Norwegian politician made it clear that after 75 years of history, the alliance “should not be taken for granted” at a time when Russia’s war on Ukraine “is the biggest security crisis in generations.”
Stoltenberg acknowledged that allied support for Ukraine would not be easy and would come with “costs and risks” in the face of an “aggressive Russia.”
“The biggest risk would be a Russian victory in Ukraine. We cannot let that happen,” he said.
NATO is a strong alliance
Stoltenberg valued NATO’s ability to deter threats and defend all allies, and gave the example that the Cold War ended without NATO firing a shot.
“We will continue to face difficult decisions in the future, but I know that we are at our best when we take them with the political courage. I know that we are stronger and more secure when we work together in NATO. It’s good to have friends,” he concluded.
NATO’s 75th Anniversary
Stoltenberg spoke on a stage draped with the flags of 32 allied nations and flanked by two plaques commemorating the 75th anniversary. Two plaques at the bottom of the stage, one in English and one in French (NATO’s official language), read “Defending our future.”
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