Defense: Baerbock: NATO is our central security anchor

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock described NATO as Europe’s central security anchor on the occasion of its 75th anniversary and against the background of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. At the same time, she called on NATO partners on Deutschlandfunk to provide maximum support to the attacked Ukraine in order to ensure long-term peace.

“We have always believed that we can live together in peace on our European continent,” said the Green politician. “Now that the Russian president has broken with all this peaceful coexistence by attacking Ukraine and with it the European peace order, our highest responsibility is of course that we protect our Europe, that we protect our country, that we protect the people in our country Protect the continent in the best possible way. And NATO is our central security anchor for this.”

Baerbock emphasized that the European states within the alliance must do more for their own security by ensuring reliable spending on defense and investing together in the arms industry in the long term. “As Europeans, we must and will contribute more to our own defense,” said Baerbock.

NATO Secretary General warns against going it alone

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg calls for cohesion between North America and Europe. “Two world wars, the Cold War and every challenge we have faced since then have taught us that we need each other,” said the Norwegian at the ceremony in Brussels. Europe needs North America for its security. At the same time, North America also needs Europe.

“European allies have world-class military forces, extensive intelligence networks and unique diplomatic influence that multiply America’s power,” Stoltenberg said. Through NATO, the United States would have more friends and more allies than any other major power. “Together we are stronger and safer,” said Stoltenberg. At the same time, however, a fair distribution of burdens is essential.

Stoltenberg looks to the USA

With his statements, Stoltenberg was probably primarily aimed at former US President Donald Trump, who will be running for the Republicans again in the US election in November, and his party. During his term in office from 2017 to 2021, Trump repeatedly criticized NATO and at times even threatened to withdraw the USA from the alliance. Most recently, he made it clear during the election campaign that he would not provide American support to allies who, in his opinion, had too little defense spending in the event of a Russian attack.

In an interview, he said that one should not forget that NATO is more important for Europe than for the USA, because there is an ocean, “a beautiful, big, wonderful ocean” between the USA and “some problems” in Europe.

Shapps: We are in the pre-war world

Great Britain’s Defense Secretary Grant Shapps has emphasized the importance of NATO in view of current threats and called for the defense alliance to be strengthened. “We have moved from a post-war to a pre-war world,” wrote Shapps in a guest article for the British newspaper “Telegraph” on the occasion of NATO’s 75th anniversary.

“Russia threatens our neighbors. China is increasingly aggressive. Iran is using its proxies to wreak regional havoc from the Middle East to the Strait of Yemen,” his op-ed said. “And North Korea continues to rattle its nuclear saber. These evil powers are increasingly joining forces and our democracy is in their crosshairs.”

Shapps demanded three things. The alliance must redouble its efforts to support Ukraine, which is being attacked by Russia. The member states would have to do more to finance it. “We cannot afford to play Russian roulette with our future,” Shapps wrote. In addition, the Euro-Atlantic defense sector must be expanded: Russia is adapting the industry to its military needs; NATO countries would have to do the same and invest more in ammunition and stockpiles.

NATO was founded on April 4, 1949 in Washington in response to the perceived threatening policies of the communist Soviet Union. The anniversary is the moment to renew the historic commitment to the alliance, said British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Ukraine’s rightful place is also in NATO. Ukraine has been defending itself against a war of aggression by Russia for more than two years. The country is supported by several states, but is not a member of NATO.