Opening remarks
by NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen at the joint press point with the President of Poland, Bronisław Komorowski
Mr President, thank you very much for a very positive meeting this morning. It is a great pleasure to meet you again, and to visit Poland as you celebrate 15 years of membership in NATO. Let me thank you, your remarkable armed forces, and the people of Poland for your outstanding contribution to our Alliance.
Less than six months ago, we met here in Poland to observe NATO’s exercise Steadfast Jazz - an exercise which practised the Alliance’s collective defence.
Today, as we see the most serious crisis in a generation unfolding on NATO’s borders, we can say clearly that that was the right exercise, at the right time, in the right place.
Collective defence is NATO’s central task. The defence of our values, the defence of our security, and the defence of every single member of the Alliance.
Our commitment to collective defence is rock solid, now and for the future.
That is why, right now, aircraft and ships from across the Alliance are reinforcing the security of our Allies from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. It is why we will keep on reinforcing that security, with exercises, defence plans, and appropriate deployments.
Today’s NATO faces many tasks. We are concluding our mission in Afghanistan in a responsible and effective way. We are providing a safe and secure environment in Kosovo. Poland plays an important role in both those missions, and I thank you for your dedication.
Now our challenge is to continue with those tasks, while adjusting our collective defence to meet the new reality. Russia’s aggression against Ukraine undermine the peace and stability we have built so carefully in Europe.
Russia claims that our actions are provocative and accompanied by hostile rhetoric. This is not true. And frankly, it is absurd. Our response is about solidarity among Allies and collective defence. And it is part of the broad international efforts to de-escalate this crisis and find a political solution through dialogue and through the 25 May elections. I commend Poland’s contribution to these efforts.
Later this year we will hold a NATO Summit in Wales, and we will decide what steps we need to take to adjust to this new reality. Poland’s support will be vital to those decisions. So Mr President, I look forward to working with you as we prepare the Wales Summit.