Joint press conference

Opening remarks by the Chair of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral Rob Bauer:

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The NATO Military Committee is honoured to have been so warmly received – despite the heavy rains – in the beautiful Czech Republic.

We are grateful to our hosts for bringing us here together at such a crucial time for our Alliance.

Today, the NATO Military Authorities discussed the two herculean tasks that we need to undertake simultaneously.

While continuing and ramping up our support to Ukraine, we must also bolster our own deterrence and defence. 

Over the past year, we have made huge strides in making NATO’s new defence plans fully executable.

NATO now has 500,000 troops on high readiness.

We established the Allied Reaction Force.

We are adapting our Command and Control structure.

And Allies are rapidly developing and expanding their capabilities.

Training and exercises play a key role in that.

This year, the Alliance held its largest collective defence exercise since the Cold War: STEADFAST DEFENDER.

Over 90,000 troops from across the Alliance exercised in Germany, Poland and the three Baltic States.

This demonstrates that a new era of collective defence is upon us.

And NATO is stronger and readier than ever.

But the responsibility for freedom does not rest on the shoulders of those in uniform alone.

Today, the Chiefs of Defence discussed the fact that strong deterrence requires strong societal resilience.

It requires a whole of society approach, with a keen role for the private sector.

Not only our defence industries, but our whole economies need to realise that peace is no longer a given.

Private businesses too have a role to play in deterrence and defence.

Because while it may be the military who wins battles, it’s the economies that win wars.

War is a whole of society event.

Nowhere is that more visible than in Ukraine.

This past year, we have yet again seen the inspiring tenacity and valour of the Ukrainian Armed Forces as they demonstrate their military prowess.

Every inch of territory they maintain and retain reflects the power and bravery of the Ukrainian people in fighting against a power who seeks to divide them.

The historic decisions made in the Washington Summit reflect NATO’s pledge to support them in their rightful claim for freedom and sovereignty.

We are working hard on the launch of the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine. This includes a command in Germany and logistic hubs in the eastern part of the Alliance, which will involve around 700 personnel.

NATO will take up a greater coordinating role in the support for Ukraine.

This marks an investment in our collective future.

Ensuring Ukraine support for the long-run.

Another step towards having the Ukrainian flag in front of the NATO headquarters.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

In an increasingly divided world, there is no weapon more powerful than our unity.

This meeting today serves to convey a message to the citizens of our Alliance:

That we are working tirelessly to protect our way of life, our values, our security.

In order to do that, we must bolster our deterrence.

Preparedness preserves peace.

Preparedness prevents conflicts.

The 3.5 million men and women who serve our great Alliance have no task more sacred than that.

But it’s a task for all of us. For every single member of society.

Collective defence is truly a task for the collective.  

And above all it demonstrates there is no stronger weapon in the world than our cohesiveness.