NATO News

We condemn the seizure of two commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz. This represents a clear challenge to international freedom of navigation. We urge Iran to immediately release the ships and their crew. The UK has made clear that their priority is to address the situation through dialogue and diplomacy. NATO supports all diplomatic efforts to resolve this situation. All Allies remain concerned by Iran's destabilising activities.

Over 2,000 forces and 27 ships are taking part in exercise Breeze 2019 in the Black Sea. The Bulgarian-led maritime exercise, which began on 12 July, involves forces from 12 NATO Allies – Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, France, Greece, Italy, Poland, Romania, Turkey, United Kingdom and the United States.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has decided to appoint Mircea Geoana from Romania as the next Deputy Secretary General. He will replace Rose Gottemoeller from the United States, who took up her position in October 2016.

Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach, and the Military Committee welcome the new Director General of the NATO International Military Staff (DGIMS), Lieutenant General Hans-Werner Wiermann.

The Niagara Falls were illuminated in NATO blue on Sunday night (14 July 2019), marking the Alliance’s 70th anniversary and the start of Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s visit to North America. At 10:00pm local time, both sides of the Falls were floodlit in deep blue – the colour of NATO’s official flag, adopted in 1953.

Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg paid tribute on Monday (15 July 2019) to Canada’s vital role in the Alliance, including with forces for NATO missions and operations, and increased defence spending. Mr. Stoltenberg was speaking during a visit to Canadian Forces Base Petawawa with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

On Monday, 15 July 2019, the NATO Deputy Secretary General, Ms. Rose Gottemoeller, will meet the Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Republic of Moldova, Mr. Nicolae Popescu.

At the invitation of the President Emmanuel Macron of the Republic of France, the NATO Secretary General Mr. Jens Stoltenberg will travel to Paris to attend the Bastille Day parade on Sunday, 14 July 2019.

Lieutenant General Jan Broeks, Director General of the International Military Staff (DGIMS) at NATO Headquarters, bid farewell to his staff, the Military Committee and the Alliance today, 11 July 2019.

With NATO’s help, North Macedonia is implementing a new system to enhance real time situational awareness and better deal with disasters such as landslides and floods.

On Wednesday, 17 July 2019, the NATO Secretary General, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg will participate in a conversation on “NATO at 70” followed by a Q&A session at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado.

The NATO Secretary General, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg, will travel to Canada on Monday, 15 July and Tuesday, 16 July 2019.

The flags of NATO and its Allies were lowered for the last time at the old headquarters of the Alliance in Brussels. In a final tribute to the building that hosted NATO for more than fifty years, soldiers from the 29 member nations took down their national flags in a small ceremony today (10 July 2019).

On Wednesday, 10 July 2019, the NATO Deputy Secretary General, Ms. Rose Gottemoeller will meet the Minister of Defence of Australia, Ms. Linda Reynolds.

The NATO-Russia Council, which brings together all 29 NATO Allies and Russia, met in Brussels on Friday (5 July 2019) to discuss Ukraine, the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, and transparency and risk reduction. This was the second meeting of the NATO-Russia Council this year. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who chaired the meeting, said: “Our discussion was frank but necessary. Allies and Russia hold fundamentally different views but we are committed to continuing our dialogue.”

One of NATO’s standing naval groups entered the Black Sea on Tuesday (2 July 2019). Over the coming weeks, NATO Standing Maritime Group Two – including ships from Canada, Romania, Turkey and the UK – will conduct routine maritime security operations and exercises with NATO Allies and partners.

Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed Prime Minister Maia Sandu of the Republic of Moldova to NATO Headquarters in Brussels on Wednesday (3 July 2019). Mr. Stoltenberg praised the partnership between the Alliance and the Republic of Moldova, saying it promotes peace and stability. The Secretary General said NATO remains committed to continuing its cooperation with the Republic of Moldova, with full respect for the country’s constitutional neutrality, and full support for its independence and sovereignty.

The NATO Secretary General, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg, will meet the Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova, Ms. Maia Sandu, on Wednesday, 3 July 2019.

The NATO Secretary General, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg will hold a press point on Friday 5 July 2019 to brief the media in his capacity as Chairman of the NATO-Russia Council.