NATO latest

 

NATO Secretary General meets with the President of Montenegro On Thursday 22 June 2023, the NATO Secretary General, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg, received the President of Montenegro, Mr. Jakov Milatović, at NATO Headquarters. Click here to download the joint press conference by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg with the President of Montenegro Jakov Milatović. The transcript is available here. German Army practises rapidly reinforcing NATO’s eastern flank Germany recently showed its ability to surge forces to the east of the Alliance, demonstrating NATO’s ability to deter potential adversaries and, if necessary, defend its territory on short notice. Roughly 1,000 soldiers and 320 vehicles from the German Army’s 41st Panzer Grenadier Brigade were rapidly deployed to Lithuania for exercise Griffin Storm 23, arriving via rail, road and sea. Now established at Pabrade Training Area near the capital Vilnius, the troops will train with their counterparts from the Lithuanian Army until 7 July. The 41st Panzer Grenadier Brigade is a mechanised infantry unit, blending the firepower of heavy mortars with the speed of infantry fighting vehicles. They will join forces with the Lithuanian Army’s Grand Duke Algirdas Infantry Battalion to plan and execute joint training operations. Click here to download the b-roll. Footage includes shots of a civilian ferry arriving at the port of Klaipeda, unloading of the vehicles and march to the Pabrade Training Area. NATO Secretary General: our armed forces must be both green and strong Speaking on a high-level transatlantic panel on climate and security on Wednesday (21 June 2023), NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stressed the importance for our security of tackling climate change and securing a green energy transition. The Secretary General argued that we cannot compromise on military effectiveness, and that our armed forces must be both green and strong. Click here to download the remarks by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in a transatlantic conversation on ''Climate and Security'' organized by the German Marshall Fund of the United States. The webstory is available here. Germany hosts biggest ever air exercise of NATO forces Air forces from 25 NATO Allies and partners have convened in Germany for Europe’s largest air exercise since the end of the Cold War. Air Defender 23 features approximately 250 fighter jets, bombers and attack and support aircraft. Based in Germany, which is leading the exercise (though flights are taking place throughout Europe), the goal of the exercise is to practise integrating air operations on a large scale, ensuring Allies are able to deliver coordinated air power in the event of a crisis. At Lechfeld Air Base in southern Germany, American A-10C Thunderbolt II attack jets are launching alongside Hellenic Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons. While the Greek jets are multirole fighters, the US Air National Guard A-10s are attack jets, specialising in ground combat missions like close air support and combat search-and-rescue. Click here to download the b-roll. Footage includes shots of Hellenic and US air force jets in flight and on the ground, as well as an interview with an officer from the US Air National Guard’s 190th Fighter Squadron.

Training Ukraine’s volunteer army Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, tens of thousands of Ukrainians have volunteered to fight for their country. The volunteers are trained in basic military skills by NATO Allies and partners across Europe. In the United Kingdom, groups of Ukrainian volunteers are undergoing a five-week course focusing on small arms, medical and urban combat training among other fundamental military skills. The training aims to provide them with basic skills and principles to survive and fight in their respective units. The courses are United Kingdom-led by instructors from NATO Allies, including Canada, Denmark, Finland, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Norway, as well as NATO invitee Sweden, and partner countries Australia and New Zealand. The programme is part of the UK’s commitment to help Ukraine uphold its right to self-defence against Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression. Click here to download the video and here for a b-roll. You can also watch the video on Youtube.

Press Release 23 June 2023

NATO Secretary General meets the Prime Minister of Estonia On Wednesday 28 June 2023, the NATO Secretary General, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg, will receive the Prime Minister of the Republic of Estonia, Ms. Kaja Kallas, at NATO Headquarters. They will have a joint press conference after their meeting.   13:45 (CEST)          Press conference by the NATO Secretary General and the Estonian Prime Minister Media coverage This event is open to media representatives who have annual accreditation to NATO for 2023. The press conference will be streamed live on the NATO website. A transcript of the Secretary General’s remarks, as well as pictures taken by a NATO photographer, will be posted there shortly. The video will be available for free download from the NATO Multimedia Portal after the event. For more information: Contact the NATO Press Office

NATO Secretary General and Prime Minister of the Netherlands host pre-Summit dinner in the Hague

On 27 June 2023, the NATO Secretary General, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg, and the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mr. Mark Rutte, will co-host a working dinner for NATO Heads of State and Government at the Catshuis, the Hague. The guests will include the the Prime Ministers of Albania, Belgium, Lithuania and Norway, and the Presidents of Poland and Romania. The dinner will be part of the preparations for the NATO Summit in Vilnius on 11-12 July 2023. Discussions will cover Russia’s war against Ukraine and other security issues. Ahead of the dinner, Mr. Stoltenberg and Mr. Rutte will have a meeting in the Hague, together with the Dutch Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defence.

NATO Secretary General in Lithuania

On 26-27 June 2023, the NATO Secretary General, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg, will travel to Lithuania together with the Permanent Representatives on the North Atlantic Council and the Chair of the Military Committee, Admiral Rob Bauer. This visit is part of the preparations of the NATO Summit in Vilnius, which will take place next month. On Monday 26 June, the Secretary General will meet with the President of Lithuania, Mr. Gitanas Nausėda, at the Presidential Palace in Vilnius. Later that day, they will attend Exercise Griffin Storm 2023, in Pabradė, General Silvestras Žukauskas Training Area. The Federal Minister of Defence of Germany, Mr. Boris Pistorius, and the Minister of National Defence of Lithuania, Mr. Arvydas Anusauskas, will also attend the exercise. On Monday evening, the Secretary General will attend the Award Ceremony for the Manfred Wörner Medal at Vilnius City Hall. Mr. Stoltenberg will give a laudatory speech to honour the recipient of the Medal - the former President of Lithuania, Ms. Dalia Grybauskaitė. On Tuesday, 27 June, the Secretary General will hold talks with the Prime Minister of Lithuania, Ms. Ingrida Šimonytė, in Vilnius.