NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has announced the most serious reinforcement of security since the end of the Cold War and announced a further increase in the number of troops
NATO will increase its military capacity to counter Russia. Alliance Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said this in an interview with CNBC.
Stoltenberg said that NATO’s approach to Russia is based on what “we call a dual approach – on defence and dialogue”.
“We have now implemented the most serious strengthening of our collective defence since the end of the Cold War, and we will continue to strengthen it by maintaining a high degree of readiness, increasing the number of troops and increasing defence investments”, – Stoltenberg said.
The Alliance will “respond very firmly and clearly, using a wide range of different tools” as it has done in recent years, he said.
At the same time as strengthening air and missile defence, NATO will implement arms control, the secretary-general said.
Stoltenberg also stressed the importance of the sanctions imposed against Russia. He said they should be continued along with “greater support for NATO’s close partners, such as Ukraine and Georgia”.
Earlier, Stoltenberg announced the themes of the NATO summit to be held in Brussels on June 14. The summit is planned to approve a new cyber and space defence policy, as well as discuss countering Russia and China, and cooperation with Ukraine and Georgia.