Remarks

Deputy Secretary Norquist,

Under Secretary Lord,

Members of Congress,

Ambassadors,

Ladies and gentlemen,

We are now standing in the hall where President Truman hosted the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty in 1949. The treaty that brought life to NATO. The most successful Alliance in history.

We created the conditions that made it possible to end the Cold War without a shot being fired in Europe. The Berlin Wall to fall. And for freedom to spread across Central and Eastern Europe.

We also brought an end to bloodshed in the Balkans. We have fought terrorism from Afghanistan to Iraq. And today we continue to protect close to 1 billion citizens in our 29, soon to be 30, member nations.

But, of course, our success has always relied upon having the best weapons, the best equipment and the latest technology. Things that are provided by you, the defence industry. So you are an integral part of our success. Our challenge now is to continue that success in a more unpredictable world. To maintain our technological edge in time of shifting global balance of power. NATO and industry together.

The NATO-Industry Forum helps us to forge new and better ways of working together. To strengthen the transatlantic industrial cooperation. To invest, to innovate and to be ready for the future.

For over seven decades, our transatlantic Alliance has preserved peace and built prosperity. So thank you all for your commitment to our collective defence.

And here’s to many more decades of peace and prosperity in Europe and North America.

So once again, thank you so much. I’m looking forward to joining you at the conference tomorrow.