Opening remarks
by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the meeting of the North Atlantic Council at the level of Heads of State and Government with Partners (2022 NATO Summit)
(As delivered)
A warm welcome to our close partners Finland, Sweden, Georgia and the European Union. Welcome to all of you, it’s great to have you here all, and great to see you.
And for the first time at a NATO Summit, to our Indo-Pacific partners, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and Republic of Korea. A warm welcome to all of you. It’s great to see you.
NATO’s new Strategic Concept, adopted earlier today, reflects a new security reality. With Russia’s brutal war shattering peace in Europe. Along with a more dangerous and more complex set of threats, from terrorism to disruptive technologies and climate change.
But the Strategic Concept also recognises that the challenges we all face are truly global. The international balance of power is shifting and strategic competition is on the rise. China does not share our values and, like Russia, it seeks to undermine the international rules based order.
So we must continue to stand together and work with like-minded partners around the world to protect our values and our freedom. And to promote peace and prosperity.
Finally, I want to welcome the signature of the trilateral memorandum between Türkiye, Finland and Sweden yesterday. President Niinistö, Prime Minister Andersson, your membership applications were historic. And by joining the Alliance you will make your countries safer and NATO stronger.
With that, let me thank the media for joining us at the opening of the meeting and we will continue in just a moment. Thank you so much.