Secretary General: “Luxembourg is at the forefront of NATO’s innovation agenda”

Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed Prime Minister Xavier Bettel to NATO Headquarters on Thursday (27 April 2023), praising Luxembourg for its role “at the forefront of NATO’s innovation agenda, leading our work on space surveillance and investing in critical satellite capabilities.” Mr Stoltenberg also thanked the Prime Minister for Luxembourg’s contribution to NATO’s multinational battlegroup in Romania, and for the country’s strong support to the Alliance’s climate change and security agenda.

The two leaders discussed Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, and the Secretary General thanked Prime Minister Bettel for Luxembourg’s military and humanitarian support for Ukraine, as well as Luxembourg’s substantial financial contributions to NATO’s Ukraine fund. The Secretary General underlined that the fund is “providing urgent support, including medical supplies, mobile satellite systems and pontoon bridges.” At the Vilnius Summit, NATO plans to step up for Ukraine with a multi-year programme of support. Mr Stoltenberg added: «Overall, through the Contact Group led by the United States, NATO Allies and partners have provided unprecedented support to Ukraine. More than 98 percent of the combat vehicles promised to Ukraine have already been delivered. That means over 1,550 armoured vehicles, 230 tanks and other equipment, including vast amounts of ammunition. In total we have trained and equipped more than nine new Ukrainian armoured brigades. This will put Ukraine in a strong position to continue to retake occupied territory.»

Mr Stoltenberg noted that burden-sharing will be an important topic for the upcoming NATO Summit in Vilnius in July. “In a more dangerous world, we must invest more, and better, in our defence,” he said. The Secretary General welcomed Luxembourg’s investments in major equipment and multinational capabilities, such as NATO’s new fleet of tanker transport aircraft, and also encouraged Luxembourg to step up defence spending, calling this “key for a fair burden-sharing between North America and Europe”.