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NATO Secretary General visits Bulgaria On Thursday 19 December 2024, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte visited Bulgaria. NATO Secretary General met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Ivan Kondov, and the Minister of Defence, Mr Atanas Zapryanov. He also addressed the troops of the NATO multinational battlegroup Bulgaria at the Novo Selo Range Army Base. Click here to download the joint press statements by NATO Secretary General, Bulgarian Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Bulgarian Minister of Defence, and here for the address to the troops by NATO Secretary General.

NATO Secretary General meets the President of Ukraine On Wednesday, 18 December 2024, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte met with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, at his official residence in Brussels. Click here to download the joint remarks by NATO Secretary General and the President of Ukraine.

NATO Secretary General meets the Chair of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, met with the Chair of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Željka Cvijanović, today (18 December 2024), at NATO Headquarters. He reiterated the Atlantic Alliance’s firm commitment to Bosnia and Herzegovina and to regional stability, and NATO’s readiness to further strengthen cooperation. Click here to download the joint remarks by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and the Chair of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Željka Cvijanović. The webstory is available on the NATO website. NATO Secretary General commends Lithuania for defence production, support to Ukraine NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte welcomed Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nausėda to NATO Headquarters on Wednesday 18 December 2024, to discuss NATO’s deterrence and defence and support to Ukraine. NATO Secretary General thanked Lithuania for its significant contributions to NATO and shared security, including its leadership in defence spending and its efforts to boost defence production. Click here to download the joint press conference by NATO Secretary General and the President of Lithuania. The webstory is available on the NATO website.

20 December 2024 Update Secretary General's end of year message to NATO troops Secretary General Mark Rutte released holiday greetings to NATO troops on 20 December 2024, thanking them for their service and sacrifice. “It is because of you that we are free and safe to celebrate this season.” Watch Video NATO Secretary General hails Bulgaria’s contributions to Euro-Atlantic security NATO’s Secretary General, Mark Rutte, visited Bulgaria 19 December 2024, where he met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ivan Kondov, and the Minister of Defence, Atanas Zapryanov, and with personnel from the NATO Multinational Battle Group at the Novo Selo Range Army Base. Read more NATO Secretary General commends Lithuania for defence production, support to Ukraine NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte welcomed Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nausėda to NATO Headquarters on 18 December 2024, to discuss NATO’s deterrence and defence and support to Ukraine. Read more NATO Secretary General meets with Željka Cvijanović, Chair of Bosnia and Herzegovina's Presidency NATO’s Secretary General, Mark Rutte, met with the Chair of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Presidency, Željka Cvijanović, on 18 December 2024, at NATO Headquarters. He reiterated the Atlantic Alliance’s firm commitment to Bosnia and Herzegovina and to regional stability, and NATO’s readiness to further strengthen cooperation. Read more NATO Secretary General meets Montenegro Prime Minister Milojko Spajić On 16 December 2024 NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte welcomed Montenegro's Prime Minister Milojko Spajić to NATO Headquarters. The Secretary General thanked the Prime Minister for his country's support to NATO’s military presence in Latvia and Bulgaria, its peacekeeping mission in Kosovo and training mission in Iraq. Read more NATO Allies celebrate Alliance’s 75th anniversary year The North Atlantic Treaty was signed on 4 April 1949 by NATO’s 12 founding members. In the 75 years since, the Alliance has grown to include 32 Allies from Europe and North America. Throughout 2024, NATO Allies celebrated the Alliance’s 75th anniversary – and the anniversaries of their accessions to NATO – by painting murals, playing music, sharing birthday cake and bringing NATO blue to every corner of the Alliance. Read more 2024 NATO photo of the year In 2024, photographers from across the Alliance took thousands of pictures documenting NATO’s historic 75th anniversary year. They captured the magnitude of landmark political events like the 2024 NATO Summit in Washington D.C., the grit and cooperation of Allied troops conducting NATO exercises, and other moments of beauty, unity and humanity. We chose four of our favourite photos and put them to a vote on social media, asking the public to choose NATO’s photo of the year for 2024. And the winner is... Read more Meet Eddy Groenen: A life dedicated to NATO’s legal affairs Belgian national Eddy Groenen served as Deputy Legal Advisor at NATO for more than 30 years, working behind the scenes to shape the Alliance’s legal affairs. He was consulted on major documents and agreements with partner countries, providing legal advice and overseeing the signing of numerous memoranda.  Read more NATO Through Time podcast – NATO 2099 with Dr Florence Gaub The NATO Through Time podcast dives deep into NATO’s history, reflecting on how the past influences the present – and future – of the longest-lasting alliance in history. This episode features Dr Florence Gaub, futurist and Director of the Research Division at the NATO Defense College, as she looks ahead to the future of NATO – from 2025 to 2099. Read more Boosting defence industry makes NATO stronger and our people safer Over the last decade, NATO Allies have increased their defence spending and production, ramping up their stocks of weapons and ammunition. But we are still spending far less than during the Cold War, even though the threats to our freedom and security now are just as big, if not bigger. Watch Video A Christmas flight If you’re in Sweden in December, it’s always worth keeping your eyes on the skies as you might just be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the Swedish Air Force flying one their traditional ‘Julgransflygning’ (Christmas tree formation) across multiple locations in the country. Watch Video Intelligence disclosure as a strategic messaging tool Joakim Brattvoll SUBSCRIBE

NATO HQ, Blvd Leopold III 1110 Brussels, Belgium

Press Release 20 December 2024

Allied Chiefs of Defence meeting with Partners - 15-16 January 2025 Media Advisory NATO’s highest Military Authority, the Military Committee, will meet in person on 15 and 16 January 2025 in Brussels. Allied Chiefs of Defence will meet with over 20 of their counterparts from NATO Partner nations. The meeting will be presided by Admiral Rob Bauer, Chair of the Military Committee and supported by General Christopher Cavoli, Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), and Admiral Pierre Vandier, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT). The Chiefs of Defence will discuss issues of strategic importance to the Alliance, while focusing on cooperation with Partners and unified responses to global challenges. NATO Secretary General, Mr. Mark Rutte, will join the Military Committee for the opening session to address the Alliance's key priorities and challenges. The first session will see Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Cavoli brief the Chiefs of Defence on NATO’s readiness to deter and defend the Euro-Atlantic area and to safeguard the region’s one billion inhabitants. SACEUR will also have broader discussions on NATO’s ongoing missions, and on support to Ukraine, including the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU), which has begun to assume responsibilities to support Ukraine. During the second session, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation Admiral Vandier, will lead a discussion on Interoperability by Design. Additionally, SACT will update the Military Committee on : The NATO Defence Planning Process; The status of the Joint Analysis Training and Education Centre (JATEC); The implementation path for a multi domain-enabled Alliance by 2030. In the third and fourth sessions, together with their counterparts from NATO Partners nations, the Chiefs of Defence will discuss the different manifestations of pervasive instability around the globe. Exchanges with partners will continue on the second day, when Allied and Partner Chiefs of Defence will discuss military cooperation, standardization and interoperability. This will be followed by thematic sessions on the Global South and the Indo-Pacific, with briefings on the strategic security situation of both regions, their regional challenges and implications for world-wide security. The MCCS will wrap up with a Joint Press Conference by the Chair of the NATO Military Committee, Supreme Allied Commander Europe, and Supreme Allied Commander Transformation. Media Opportunities Wednesday 15 January 2025 08:30          Livestreamed Opening Remarks by: Admiral Rob Bauer, Chair of the NATO Military Committee, NATO Secretary General, Mr. Mark Rutte. Thursday 16 January 2025 17:30          Press Conference with Chair of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral Rob Bauer Supreme Allied Commander Europe, General Christopher Cavoli Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, Admiral Pierre Vandier. Media representatives holding a valid 2025 NATO Media pass will have access as usual to the NATO HQ. Media representatives wishing to attend the press conference are invited to contact the NATO IMS Public Affairs and Strategic Communications Office via email (pascad@hq.nato.int) with a completed accreditation form no later than 1200hrs on Monday 6 January 2025. Media accreditation form Media passes will not be mailed to applicants; they must be collected in person upon presentation of an ID card or passport and a valid national press pass (or accreditation letter from a recognized media organisation). Media representatives will be given their accreditation at the Guard House South, NATO Headquarters, Boulevard Leopold III, Brussels, Belgium. Passes must be worn visibly at all times, and security personnel may ask to see another form of ID at any time. Media representatives are informed that security personnel will examine and may test equipment and personal effects carried onto the site. They are also advised to arrive with sufficient lead-time to clear security checks. The opening remarks delivered by the Chair of the NATO Military Committee and the NATO Secretary General will be streamed live on the NATO website. The press conference will also be streamed live on the NATO website and the live feed will be provided to EBU. Video footage will be available for free download from the NATO Multimedia Portal after the event. Imagery Following each event, photos, video and audio files will be made available on the NATO IMS webpage www.nato.int/ims, as well as on the Military Committee in Chiefs of Defence session (MCCS) event page. Social Media We will post the latest information and photos from the MCCS on the following X accounts: @NATO_PASCAD and @CMC_NATO. Please use the hashtags #NATOCHoDs and #NATOMC when posting about the NATO Military Committee. Media Enquiries: Ms Eleonora Russell, Public Affairs and Strategic Communications Advisor to the NATO Military Committee and the NATO International Military Staff. Tel: + 32 471 61 09 55 E-Mail: russell.eleonora@hq.nato.int   Cdr Grzegorz Łyko, Deputy Public Affairs and Strategic Communications Advisor to the NATO Military Committee and the NATO International Military Staff. Tel: + 32 477 57 07 46     E-Mail: lyko.grzegorz@hq.nato.int For more background information about the NATO Military Committee