NATO News

Lt Gen Steven Shepro, three-star US Air Force General Deputy Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, held his retirement ceremony today 6 September 2019 at NATO Headquarters, Belgium. The ceremony was presided over by General Tod Wolters, Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), with Deputy Secretary General (DSG) Rose Gottemoeller and Chairman of the NATO Military Committee (CMC), Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach delivering opening remarks.

On 9 and 10 September 2019, the NATO Deputy Secretary General, Ms. Rose Gottemoeller, will travel to Stockholm. She will have meetings with the Minister of Defence, Mr. Peter Hultqvist, the State Secretary, Ms. Annika Söder, and the Director-General of the Ministry of Defence, Ms. Maria Diamant.

We welcome that the Ukrainian sailors seized by Russia last November are finally back home, as well as the film-maker Oleg Sentsov. This is a step in the right direction. NATO continues to call on Russia to fulfil all its obligations under the Minsk Agreements, including the release of all prisoners.

Senior diplomats, policy experts, academics and NATO officials are meeting in Riga on Thursday (5 September 2019) to discuss NATO’s nuclear deterrence and defence at a time when Russia’s destabilising actions and military build-up are undermining security in Europe.

Around 2,800 sailors and airmen from eight nations are gathering in Halifax on Friday (6 September 2019) for Cutlass Fury 2019 – the largest Canadian-led naval exercise to take place off Canada’s east coast in decades. The eleven-day exercise will begin on Monday, bringing together 20 ships and 36 aircraft in the waters off Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. Training will include air defence, defence against attack from enemy navy vessels, air-to-air combat and defence against submarines.

On Wednesday, 11 September 2019, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will join U.S. Permanent Representative to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison at the 9/11 and Article 5 Memorial at NATO Headquarters to commemorate the 18th anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.

On Monday, 9 September 2019, the NATO Deputy Secretary General, Ms. Rose Gottemoeller, will travel to Norway. She will deliver a speech at the University of Oslo on “NATO Nuclear Policy in a Post-INF World” and will also participate in a roundtable discussion hosted by the University with academics and representatives of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defence.

Camille Grand, NATO Assistant Secretary General for Defence Investment, has just concluded a visit to Israel. Over the last two days (3-4 September), he met with Israeli officials in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, to discuss the ongoing practical cooperation between NATO and Israel, and exchange views on the current situation in the Mediterranean region.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed the President of the Republic of Moldova Igor Dodon to NATO Headquarters in Brussels for talks on Thursday (5 September 2019). Mr. Stoltenberg highlighted how the partnership between NATO and Moldova has grown over more than 25 years and that the Alliance continues to help Moldova build strong institutions and good governance. The Secretary General said that while working together closely, NATO fully respects Moldova’s constitutional neutrality and fully supports its independence and its sovereignty.

The NATO Secretary General, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg will meet the President of the Republic of Moldova, Mr. Igor Dodon, on Thursday, 5 September 2019 at NATO Headquarters.

NATO’s largest cyber security conference will see its 15th edition in October. The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency will host the NATO Information Assurance Symposium (NIAS) in Mons, Belgium on 15-17 October 2019.

Around 3,000 troops and more than 40 vessels from 18 nations are taking part in the annual Northern Coasts naval exercise that starts on 3 September in Copenhagen harbour. Northern Coasts will take place near the Danish straits connecting the Baltic Sea to the North Sea, as well as between Kiel and Bornholm. It will run until 19 September.

Starting in September, Belgian, Czech and Danish fighter aircraft will take up responsibility for patrolling the skies over the three Baltic countries as part of NATO’s air policing mission.

The NATO Secretary General, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg will meet the President of the Republic of Lithuania, Mr. Gitanas Nauseda, on Wednesday, 4 September 2019 at NATO Headquarters.

On Tuesday, 3 September 2019, the NATO Secretary General, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg will meet the Secretary of State of the United States of America, Mr. Mike Pompeo, in Brussels.

NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller visited Helsinki on Thursday (29 August 2019) to participate in an informal meeting of EU Defence Ministers. At a working session on climate change and defence, the Deputy Secretary General noted that climate change affects the security of Allied and partner nations. She outlined five ways in which NATO is tackling climate change – through strategic analysis; support for scientific cooperation; enhancing energy efficiency and environmental protection in the military; building resilience to natural disasters; and capability planning.

NATO’s most senior military officer, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach, Chairman of the NATO Military Committee and General Valeriy Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and First Deputy Minister of Defence, spoke on the phone today, 28 August 2019.

On Thursday, 29 August 2019, the NATO Deputy Secretary General, Ms. Rose Gottemoeller, will participate in the informal meeting of defence ministers of the European Union in Helsinki, Finland.

The alliance will guard its cyber domain—and invoke collective defence if required.

On Friday 23rd August 2019, the Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach and the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, General Tod Wolters attended the famous Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. The 69th edition was held under the theme “Kaleidoscope” with International performers from China, New Zealand, Africa, Europe and The Caribbean.