Deputy Secretary General in Washington D.C.: NATO unity makes us all stronger and safer

Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană praised the United States’ strong leadership in NATO in remarks to the Hudson Institute in Washington D.C. on Wednesday (11 May 2022). Mr Geoană emphasised that “Europe and North America together in NATO can better deal with a more dangerous security environment”, protecting all NATO Allies and defending every inch of NATO territory. He said that NATO has shown remarkable unity since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, reinforcing collective defence and providing substantial support to the Ukrainian government and people. He further added that NATO’s continued unity is key “to uphold the rules-based international order that is increasingly under pressure.”

On Tuesday, Mr Geoană gave a keynote address at a public event celebrating 25 years of the Romania-US strategic partnership, co-hosted by the Meridian International Center and the Romanian Embassy. In his remarks, he highlighted the role that NATO’s open door policy and the enlargement of the European Union have played in spreading freedom, democracy and human rights in Central and Eastern Europe.

During the Deputy Secretary General’s visit to Washington D.C. from 7 to 11 May, he had a series of public and bilateral engagements. These include meetings with high-level United States officials including Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, Under Secretary of Defense Colin Kahl, Homeland Security Advisor Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, National Security Advisor to the Vice-President Philip Gordon and Deputy National Security Advisor Anne Neuberger. Mr Geoană also met with members of US Senate, including U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Thom Tillis – Co-Chairs of the Senate NATO Observer, and the US House of Representatives, including Rep. Gerry Connolly, President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and Rep. Michael Turner, Ranking Member of the Select Intelligence Committee.