Jens Stoltenberg said, “NATO’s mission is to protect and defend all allies. If there is an attack against one, it will be considered an attack against all.”
He continued, “The NATO Council has decided to implement our defensive plans to defend allies, and this will allow us to deploy capabilities and forces, including the NATO Response Force, where necessary.”
The military plans that have been implemented so far, the Secretary-General of NATO went on: “In response to the large (Russian) military build-up, we are strengthening our collective defense at sea, in the air and on land. In recent weeks the allies from North America and Europe have deployed thousands more troops to the eastern side. We have a lot of people in the reserve.”
He added, “We have more than 100 aircraft on standby, and more than 120 ships at sea, from the North to the Mediterranean, which shows that our defense commitment is resolute… and we continue to do everything necessary to protect the Alliance from any aggression.”
Warning to Moscow
The Secretary-General of NATO warned Moscow of the consequences of invading Ukraine, saying that there were “many costs” to be incurred by this attack.
He also stressed that what happened “was a pre-planned plan, and that despite the denials and misinformation, the Kremlin’s intention is clear for the world to see.”
He continued, “The leadership of Russia bears full responsibility for its reckless actions, and for the lives of the people who were killed (…), NATO condemns Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in the strongest terms. It is a flagrant violation of international law, an aggressive move against an independent, peaceful and sovereign state, and a serious threat to Atlantic security.” .
Stoltenberg called on Russia to “immediately stop its military operations, withdraw its forces from Ukraine, and choose diplomacy.”
He also stressed that NATO “fully supports Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and right to defend itself,” noting that Russia “is using its power to rewrite history, to deprive Ukraine of its independent and free path.”
And he added, “Russia is now facing many costs and consequences imposed by the international community. The Kremlin’s goal is to re-establish its spheres of influence, to change international laws that have maintained security for decades, and to attack the principles that we hold so highly.”
“Security cannot be taken so for free,” Soltenberg said. “Freedom and democracy are now facing tyranny, and we must respond with firmness and strong unity.”