Pre-Summit press conference by Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg ahead of the NATO Summit in Vilnius, 7 July 2023.

Previewing the Vilnius Summit at NATO Headquarters, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the meeting of Allied leaders “will send a clear message: NATO stands united, and Russia’s aggression will not pay.”

🗣 | NATO Secretary General:

Good afternoon.

NATO Heads of State and Government will meet in Vilnius next week, at a critical moment for our transatlantic security.

Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine continues to rage on.

For 500 days, Moscow has brought death and destruction to the heart of Europe, seeking to destroy Ukraine and divide NATO.

Our Summit will send a clear message.
NATO stands united.
And Russia’s aggression will not pay.

At the Summit, we will make Ukraine even more stronger, and set out a vision for its future.
I expect Allied leaders will agree a package with three elements, to bring Ukraine closer to NATO.

First, we will agree a multi-year programme of assistance.
To ensure full interoperability between the Ukrainian armed forces and NATO.

Second, we will upgrade our political ties.
By establishing the NATO-Ukraine Council.

And third, I expect Allied leaders will reaffirm that Ukraine will become a member of NATO.
And unite on how to bring Ukraine closer to its goal.

Allies have already pledged 500 million euros for critical needs, including fuel, medical supplies, demining equipment and pontoon bridges.

We will also help build Ukraine’s security and defence sector, including with military hospitals.
And we will help Ukraine transition from Soviet-era to NATO equipment and standards.

President Zelenskyy will join us for the inaugural meeting of the new NATO-Ukraine Council.
This will be a platform for crisis consultation and decision-making.

Where we all sit as equals to address shared security concerns.

At the Summit, we will take further major steps to strengthen our deterrence and defence.
With three new regional defence plans,
to counter the two main threats to our Alliance:
Russia, and terrorism.

One plan for the north, the Atlantic and European Arctic;
One for the centre, covering the Baltic region and central Europe;
And a southern plan for the Mediterranean and Black Sea.

To execute these plans, NATO is putting 300,000 troops on higher readiness.
Including substantial air and naval combat power.

I expect leaders will endorse a Defence Production Action Plan to aggregate demand, boost capacity, and increase interoperability.

To do all of this, we need to invest more.

At the Summit, Allies will set a more ambitious defence investment pledge, to invest a minimum of 2% of Gross Domestic Product annually on defence.

Today, we are releasing new defence spending estimates.

In 2023, there will be a real increase of 8.3% across European Allies and Canada.
This is the biggest increase in decades.
And the ninth consecutive year of increases in our defence spending.

So European Allies and Canada will have invested over 450 billion extra US dollars since we agreed our defence investment pledge in 2014.
Then, only three Allies spent 2 % of GDP on defence.
This year, eleven Allies reach – or exceed – the target.
And we expect this number will rise substantially next year.

At the Summit, we will be joined by the leaders of Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea.
Because our security is not regional, it is global.
So we are working more closely on issues such as cybersecurity, maritime security and new technologies.

We will also welcome the European Union to Vilnius.
Our partnership has reached unprecedented levels, and we are committed to doing even more together.

This will be Finland’s first Summit as a NATO Ally.
And we look forward to Sweden joining as soon as possible.

Yesterday, I hosted a constructive meeting of senior officials from Türkiye, Sweden and Finland.
And as the next step, I will meet with President Erdogan and Prime Minister Kristersson in Vilnius on Monday afternoon.

For almost 75 years, NATO has been the strongest Alliance in history.

The decisions we will take at the Vilnius Summit will ensure we continue to protect our people and our values.

With that, I’m ready to take your questions.

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