Press statements

Minister Lambrecht, dear Christine,
It is a great honor to be here.
And congratulations so much on your appointment. 
I really look forward to working with you. 

And also many thanks for your strong personal commitment to NATO, to our Alliance.
And for Germany's contributions to our shared security, to our collective defence in so many different ways. 

You share and you lead the NATO battlegroup in Lithuania.
And I welcome the fact that you went there as your first trip abroad, demonstrating your personal commitment, both to the Bundeswehr but also to NATO's presence in the Baltic region. 

I have met German personnel in many different missions and the operations. Including in Lithuania, but also in Kosovo. And on maritime activities for instance in the Aegean Sea.

And I am always impressed by the professionalism, by the dedication of the German soldiers, men and women in uniform in different NATO missions and operations. 

I would also like to thank you for Germany's contributions.
Not only to our maritime operations and our battlegroup in the eastern part of the Alliance, But also your contribution to our air policing and many other important parts of our collective defence which we are providing together in NATO.

All this is a strong sign of NATO solidarity. And this is even more important now as we face critical time for European security. 
With the Russian military build-up in and around Ukraine.
With the threatening rhetoric. 
And also with the Russian track record of using force against Ukraine before.

As you said, NATO remains committed to our dual-track approach: deterrence, defence, combined with dialogue. 

We are a defensive Alliance. 
And we will always protect and defend all Allies.
At the same time, we will continue to make every effort to find a political way forward through dialogue. 

And therefore I welcome that we were able to meet in the NATO-Russia Council last week. 

And today I have invited all the members of the NATO-Russia Council to meet again in a series of meetings.
To address important issues for our security. Transparency on military activities, mechanisms to reduce risks, and also arms control and lines of communications.

And I know that I can count on Germany and on you personally when it comes to both: deterrence, defence, and on dialogue. 

And therefore I really look forward to working with you. 
And I would very much like to welcome you to the NATO Headquarters in Brussels. 

So thank you so much for seeing me today. Thank you.