Joint press point with NATO Secretary General and the Prime Minister of Luxembourg

Thank-you so Prime Minister Bettel.

It is a pleasure to be in Luxembourg on my first official visit as NATO Secretary General.

Your country has been a reliable Ally since the birth of NATO.

We are grateful for your political, military and financial contributions.

For your continued support to NATO’s engagement in Kosovo and Afghanistan.

And for your investments in high-tech military capabilities, which benefit our Alliance, such as satellite communications.

I also welcome your financial contribution to our defence capacity building initiative.

These efforts help keep NATO strong.

This is important, as we adapt to meet the security challenges that we continue to face.

We have already made important progress in strengthening our collective defence.

We are also focusing on how to counter hybrid threats.

This involves working closely with the European Union. And I count on Luxembourg, as a founding member of both NATO and the EU, to promote more cooperation between our two organisations. Now we have a unique opportunity since Luxembourg holds the presidency.

As security challenges grow, it is also important that we invest more in our defence.

I appreciate the role Luxembourg plays in strengthening our shared security.

So Prime Minister, thank you for our excellent discussions. I look forward to working together.