NATO News

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein to NATO Headquarters on Monday (20 March 2023). The Secretary General thanked Iraq for its commitment to its partnership with NATO, particularly with respect to fighting international terrorism and promoting stability in the region. Mr Stoltenberg underscored that NATO continues to strengthen Iraqi security forces and institutions through the advisory and capacity-building NATO Mission Iraq.

Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto and Defence Minister Antti Kaikkonen to NATO Headquarters on Monday (20 March 2023) for talks on Finland’s progress toward membership in the Alliance.

On Tuesday, 21 March 2023, the NATO Deputy Secretary General, Mr. Mircea Geoană will take part in a panel discussion on Upholding multilateralism and rules-based international order at the Schuman Security and Defence Forum. The Forum is organized under the authority of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, Josep Borrell.

On Wednesday 22 March, the NATO Secretary General, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg, will meet with the Head of Federal Department for Defence, Civil Protection and Sports of Switzerland, Ms. Viola Amherd, at NATO Headquarters. Following their bilateral meeting, Ms. Amherd will participate in a meeting of the North Atlantic Council, chaired by the NATO Deputy Secretary General, Mr. Mircea Geoană.

On 21 March 2023, the NATO Secretary General, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg, will meet with the Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Mr. Péter Szijjártó, at NATO Headquarters.

On Monday, 20 March 2023, the NATO Secretary General, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg, will receive Finland’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Pekka Haavisto, and Defence Minister, Antti Kaikkonen, at NATO Headquarters.

More aircraft carrying aid are due to arrive in Türkiye, as NATO Allies and partners continue to provide assistance following the devastating earthquakes in February. A first shipment of aid from Japan arrived on Friday (17 March 2023).

On Monday 20 March, the NATO Secretary General, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg, will meet with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of Luxembourg, Mr. François Bausch, at NATO Headquarters.

On Friday 17 March 2023, the NATO Secretary General, Mr. Stoltenberg, will travel to Bergen, Norway. During his visit, the Secretary General will meet the Prime Minister of Norway, Mr. Jonas Gahr Støre, the President of the European Commission, Mrs. Ursula von der Leyen, and Equinor CEO, Mr. Anders Opedal.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg visited the Troll A offshore natural gas platform off the west coast of Norway on Friday (17 March 2023), together with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Equinor CEO Anders Opedal.

On 20 March 2023, the NATO Secretary General, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg, will meet with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Iraq, Mr. Fuad Hussein, at NATO Headquarters.

NATO Allies and partners continue to respond to calls for assistance following the devastating earthquakes in February.

Senior officials from NATO and the European Union met on Thursday (16 March 2023) to launch a new NATO-EU Task Force on Resilience of Critical Infrastructure. Cooperation to strengthen critical infrastructure has become even more important in light of the sabotage against the Nord Stream pipelines, and Russia’s weaponisation of energy as part of its war of aggression against Ukraine.

On 23 March 2023, the NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, will travel to the PAX Terminal of Eindhoven Air Base, to take part in the ceremony marking the initial operational capability of the new Multinational Multi-Role Tanker Transport aircraft fleet. The fleet, an important example of NATO-European Union cooperation, will perform key functions such as air-to-air refuelling, air transport and medical evacuation.

On Friday 24 March 2023, the NATO Secretary General, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg, will receive the Prime Minister of Norway, Mr. Jonas Gahr Støre, at NATO HQ.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg participated in a virtual meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group on Wednesday (15 March 2023), chaired by U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley. The discussion focused on the importance of sustaining and increasing support to Ukraine as the country continues to resist Russia’s brutal war of aggression.

The NATO Secretary General, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg, will attend the virtual ministerial Ukraine Defense Contact Group on 15 March 2023.

Troops from NATO Allies and partners are taking part in a series of long-planned major military exercises stretching from the High North to the Mediterranean to enhance the readiness of NATO forces.

On Thursday (9 March 2023), NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg convened representatives from the governments of Türkiye, Finland and Sweden - the parties to the Permanent Joint Mechanism established by the Trilateral Memorandum signed in Madrid on the margins of the 2022 NATO Summit. This was the third such meeting of the Permanent Joint Mechanism since its creation last year.