NATO Secretary General speaks with US President Biden

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg spoke to Joe Biden, President of the United States, this evening. He congratulated the President on his inauguration, which was a powerful demonstration of the strength of America’s democracy and the values we share, and the start of a new chapter for our transatlantic Alliance.

Mr Stoltenberg welcomed President Biden’s focus on rebuilding alliances, stressing that NATO is the place where Europeans and Americans meet every day  and that together, we can face challenges that none of our nations can face alone. They agreed to work together on preparing the NATO Summit in Brussels later this year, where leaders will take decisions to make our strong Alliance even stronger.

They discussed the range of challenges that NATO Allies face, such as countering international terrorism, including in Afghanistan and Iraq, dealing with a more assertive Russia, and addressing the implications for our security of the rise of China. They also affirmed their intention to work together on other global challenges such as climate change and the pandemic. They  stressed the need to maintain the momentum for increased defence spending, to keep our nations safe in an unpredictable world. They looked forward to continuing to work very closely together.