NATO Secretary General addresses Russia’s military build-up in and around Ukraine with UK Prime Minister Johnson

The Secretary General said “this is a dangerous moment for European security. The number of Russian forces is going up. The warning time for a possible attack is going down”. He underlined that while NATO is prepared for the worst, it is still committed to finding a political solution. He reiterated once again his invitation to Russia to continue dialogue in a series of meetings in the NATO-Russia Council. At the same time, the Secretary General emphasized that NATO will not compromise on core principles: the right of each nation to choose its own path and NATO’s ability to protect and defend all Allies.

The Secretary General praised the leading role the UK is playing, delivering both diplomatically and militarily. He welcomed UK’s offer of more troops, ships and planes to NATO, which is a clear demonstration of Allied solidarity in action. He also welcomed Prime Minister Johnson’s recent contact with President Putin, and the visit of Foreign Secretary Truss to Moscow.

The Secretary General announced that at next week’s meeting of NATO Defence Ministers, the Allies will assess options to further strengthen Allied security, which includes the possibility of additional battlegroups in the south-eastern part of the Alliance.  “Renewed Russian aggression will lead to more NATO presence, not less”, he added.