NATO,update

 

Secretary General wraps up meeting of Foreign Ministers: “Ukraine is closer to NATO than ever before” NATO Foreign Ministers concluded two days of meetings in Brussels on Wednesday (29 November 2023), addressing support for Ukraine, preparations for the Washington Summit and pressing security challenges, including in the Western Balkans and NATO’s southern neighbourhood. The NATO-Ukraine Council met at the level of Foreign Ministers for the first time, joined by Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. Speaking after the meeting, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced that Allies had approved an ambitious work programme for the next year, covering energy security, innovation and interoperability. He added: “we are now transforming NATO’s comprehensive assistance package into a multi-year programme of assistance, helping Ukraine to transition from Soviet-era to NATO equipment and standards and make their forces fully interoperable with ours”. Click here to download the press conference by the NATO Secretary General. Click here to download all the content of the meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers The programme of the meetings of NATO Foreign Ministers, as well as transcripts and photos, are available from the NATO website. NATO Foreign Ministers address deterrence and defence, support for Ukraine, and partnerships On Tuesday (28 November 2023), NATO Foreign Ministers discussed pressing security issues, including NATO’s deterrence and defence, support for Ukraine, and how to work more closely with partner nations. Speaking after the meeting, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that Allies also expressed concern about the war in the Middle East. He welcomed the extension of the pause in hostilities between Israel and Hamas, which has allowed much-needed relief to people in Gaza, the release of more hostages, and the delivery of more humanitarian aid. Click here to download the press conference by the NATO Secretary General. Click here to download all the content of the meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers The programme of the meetings of NATO Foreign Ministers, as well as transcripts and photos, are available from the NATO website.

Climate change threatens NATO’s readiness and resilience at sea Prof. S. Carniel, F. Lissi, A. Martin Blanco, A. Russo NATO’s 2022 Strategic Concept defines climate change as a “crisis and a threat multiplier”, but what does that actually mean for NATO’s ability to deter and defend? At the NATO Summit in Brussels in 2021, Allies agreed to put climate change at the top of NATO’s agenda. The new Strategic Concept, which was agreed at the 2022 Madrid Summit, reaffirmed this commitment. Since then, NATO has produced several flagship reports on the topic, which show how the effects of climate change have profound impacts on everyday life. However, there is still a strong need to explore how climate change affects NATO operations across different domains. READ/LISTEN MORE

Press Release 30 November 2023

NATO Secretary General at the UN Climate Change Conference On 1 December 2023, the NATO Secretary General, Mr Jens Stoltenberg, will participate in the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) hosted by the United Arab Emirates, in Dubai. Mr Stoltenberg will participate in a panel discussion with other leaders and will address how NATO is dealing with the security impacts of climate change. While at COP28, he will have a number of bilateral meetings. Media advisory 1 December, 10h30 (CET)    The NATO Secretary General speaks at COP28 Media coverage A transcript of the Secretary General's remarks, as well as photographs will be available on the NATO website. For more information: For further information, including the agenda, you can visit the website of COP28 Presidency.

29 November 2023

Statement by the NATO-Ukraine Council at the level of Foreign Ministers issued following its meeting held in Brussels on 29th November 2023 The NATO Invitee associates itself with this Statement. The NATO-Ukraine Council (NUC) met today for the first time at the level of Foreign Ministers, as Russia continues its brutal war of aggression, to act together to further deepen the NATO-Ukraine relationship. Allies remain steadfast in their commitment to further step up political and practical support to Ukraine as it continues to defend its independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders, and will continue their support for as long as it takes. A strong, independent Ukraine is vital for the stability of the Euro-Atlantic area.   Ministers took stock of the implementation of the expanded package of political and practical support to Ukraine agreed at the Vilnius Summit. Ministers endorsed the NUC substructure and an ambitious work programme for 2024. In this context, NATO and Ukraine are already working and taking decisions together, as equals, on a broad range of issues, including interoperability, energy security, innovation, cyber defence, and resilience. We will further develop these work strands. The NUC has also proven to be a reliable crisis consultation mechanism. NATO continues to provide Ukraine with urgently needed non-lethal assistance. Together we are transforming the Comprehensive Assistance Package into a multi-year programme to help rebuild the Ukrainian security and defence sector and to support Ukraine’s deterrence and defence in the long term. As part of these efforts, we are developing a roadmap for Ukraine’s transition to full interoperability with NATO. We are also developing new projects on humanitarian demining, medical rehabilitation for wounded Ukrainian soldiers, and Ukraine’s defence industrial capacity on the basis of the strategic defence procurement review.   Ukraine reaffirmed its commitment to continued democratic and security sector reforms. Allies have provided Ukraine with recommendations for priority reforms. The NATO-Ukraine Council welcomes Ukraine’s presentation of its adapted Annual National Programme for 2024 and looks forward to its implementation. NATO Foreign Ministers will regularly assess progress through the adapted Annual National Programme. The Alliance will support Ukraine in making these reforms on its path towards future membership in NATO. Déclaration du Conseil OTAN-Ukraine en session des ministres des affaires étrangères publiée à l’issue de sa réunion tenue à Bruxelles le 29 novembre 2023 Le pays invité à rejoindre l’Alliance s’associe à la présente déclaration. Alors que la Russie poursuit sa guerre d’agression brutale, le Conseil OTAN-Ukraine s’est réuni aujourd’hui pour la première fois en session des ministres des Affaires étrangères, l’occasion pour les Alliés et l’Ukraine d’œuvrer ensemble au renforcement de leurs relations. Les Alliés restent fermement résolus à accroître encore le soutien politique et pratique qu’ils apportent à l’Ukraine, qui continue de défendre son indépendance, sa souveraineté et son intégrité territoriale à l’intérieur de ses frontières internationalement reconnues, et ils maintiendront ce soutien aussi longtemps qu’il le faudra. Pour la stabilité de la zone euro-atlantique, il est indispensable que l’Ukraine soit forte et indépendante.   Les ministres ont fait le point sur la mise en œuvre de l’ensemble élargi de mesures de soutien politique et pratique qui a été approuvé en faveur de l’Ukraine au sommet de Vilnius. Ils ont entériné la structure subordonnée du Conseil OTAN-Ukraine ainsi qu’un ambitieux programme de travail pour 2024. Les pays membres de l’OTAN et l’Ukraine coopèrent déjà dans ce cadre et prennent déjà des décisions ensemble, sur un pied d’égalité, dans des domaines aussi variés que l’interopérabilité, la sécurité énergétique, l’innovation, la cyberdéfense ou encore la résilience. Nous continuerons de travailler sur ces thématiques. Le Conseil OTAN-Ukraine a aussi montré qu’il fonctionnait bien en tant que mécanisme de consultation en cas de crise. L’OTAN continue de fournir à l’Ukraine les moyens non létaux dont le pays a besoin d’urgence. Nous nous employons collectivement à transformer l’ensemble complet de mesures d’assistance en faveur de l’Ukraine en un programme pluriannuel afin d’aider le pays à remettre sur pied son secteur de la sécurité et de la défense et à exercer sa capacité de dissuasion et de défense sur le long terme. Dans ce contexte, nous avons entrepris l’élaboration d’une feuille de route qui vise la pleine interopérabilité de l’Ukraine avec l’OTAN. Nous travaillons également à la mise au point de nouveaux projets relatifs au déminage humanitaire, à la réadaptation médicale des soldats ukrainiens blessés et à la capacité industrielle de défense de l’Ukraine, sur la base d’une revue stratégique des acquisitions de défense.   L’Ukraine a réaffirmé sa volonté de poursuivre ses réformes sur le plan démocratique et dans le secteur de la sécurité. Les Alliés lui ont indiqué, dans une série de recommandations, celles qu’elle devrait mener en priorité. Le Conseil OTAN-Ukraine a constaté avec satisfaction que l’Ukraine avait présenté un programme national annuel adapté pour 2024 ; il en suivra l’exécution avec intérêt. Les ministres des Affaires étrangères des pays de l’OTAN évalueront régulièrement les progrès accomplis dans le cadre du programme national annuel adapté. L’Alliance aidera l’Ukraine à mettre en œuvre ces réformes et à avancer sur le chemin de sa future adhésion à l’OTAN.