NATO Secretary General and German Chancellor discuss Madrid Summit preparations

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz discussed preparations for the upcoming Madrid Summit by video teleconference on Thursday (9 June 2022).

The Secretary General thanked Chancellor Scholz for his strong personal commitment to NATO, and for Germany’s significant contributions to NATO, which are even more important as Allies continue to respond together to Russia’s brutal and illegal war against Ukraine. He commended Germany’s significant support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, with military, economic and humanitarian assistance. At the Madrid Summit, NATO leaders will discuss sustaining support for Ukraine for the longer term.

Germany leads NATO’s multinational battlegroup in Lithuania, which helps protect peace and deter aggression in the Baltic Sea region.  Mr. Stoltenberg commended Chancellor Scholz on his recent announcement that Germany is ready to strengthen its engagement in Lithuania and develop it towards a robust combat-ready brigade. The Secretary General said that with this announcement, Germany was “leading by example” in preparing Summit decisions. In response to the new security reality, NATO has already increased its presence in the eastern part of the Alliance, with over forty thousand troops under NATO command, backed by major air and maritime forces, and doubling the number of multinational battlegroups from four to eight. Leaders are expected to take further steps in Madrid to significantly boost deterrence and defence.

The Secretary General also expressed appreciation for Germany’s “historic investments in defence,” including the approval by the Bundestag of the special 100 billion euro defence fund. “The support in the Bundestag to increase defence spending and to better equip the Bundeswehr is remarkable and a great signal to other Allies,” the Secretary General said. At the Madrid Summit, NATO leaders will review progress on burden-sharing, with the seventh consecutive year of increased defence spending across European Allies and Canada.

The Secretary General and Chancellor Scholz discussed the importance of NATO’s next Strategic Concept, which will be adopted by leaders in Madrid and will drive the Alliance’s future adaptation. The two leaders also discussed the historic applications by Finland and Sweden to join NATO.

The Secretary General Secretary General spoke separately to German Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht by video teleconference on the preparations for the Madrid Summit and next week’s meeting of NATO Defence Ministers in Brussels.