Coronavirus response: NATO Secretary General discusses pandemic with EU defence ministers
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg joined a video conference of European Union Defence Ministers along with United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix on Tuesday (12 May 2020), to discuss the security implications of the COVID-19 pandemic and the efforts of both organisations to respond to this challenge.
The Secretary General welcomed the close cooperation between NATO and the European Union, saying this is “more important than ever to help our respective members and partners, strengthen the resilience of our populations and fight disinformation”. He underlined that NATO is doing its part to support nations, including by airlifting supplies, sharing medical expertise, developing innovative responses, and deploying Allied militaries to support civilian authorities. He further underlined that the Alliance remains fully committed to its mission of providing peace and security for our citizens.
Security challenges have not diminished because of COVID-19 and potential adversaries will look to test NATO’s resolve, the Secretary General warned. He highlighted that, as NATO responds to the pandemic, it is also preparing for the long-term effects of COVID-19 and working to help Allies bolster their resilience.