NATO News

Following my discussions with Greek and Turkish leaders, the two Allies have agreed to enter into technical talks at NATO to establish mechanisms for military de-confliction to reduce the risk of incidents and accidents in the Eastern Mediterranean. Greece and Turkey are valued Allies, and NATO is an important platform for consultations on all issues that affect our shared security. I remain in close touch with all concerned Allies to find a solution to the tensions in the spirit of NATO solidarity.

NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană took part in a virtual meeting of the Aqaba Process on Wednesday (2 September 2020). The Aqaba Process is an initiative by His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan to enhance global coordination and cooperation to counter terrorism.

Today (1 September 2020), the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) received the first of three shipments of Precision Guided Munitions (PGMs) for 2020, acquired through one of NATO’s multinational High Visibility Projects involving 13 Allies and one NATO partner(1). The PGMs, produced in the United States, are arriving between three to twelve months ahead of schedule. The total value of this acquisition is over 44 million US dollars.

The site and the building of the old NATO Headquarters in Brussels were returned to the Alliance’s host country Belgium during a small ceremony today (1 September 2020). After the spaces were emptied and the temporary structures removed, the old building was handed over to its owner, the Belgian Ministry of Defence.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg spoke by telephone with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Friday (28 August 2020). They discussed recent developments in the eastern Mediterranean.

NATO and the Afghan security forces recently provided critical assistance to the victims of floods in the eastern province of Parwan. This is part of their efforts to work together for the security of all Afghans.

Six US Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bomber aircraft are overflying all 30 NATO Allies on Friday (28 August 2020), training together with Allied air forces. As four US strategic bombers fly over Europe and two over North America for this long-planned event, named “Allied Sky”, they will be accompanied by around 80 fighter aircraft from across the Alliance, providing an opportunity to boost Allies’ ability to train and operate alongside each other.

Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană was the keynote speaker at an online event about “Emerging Europe and the United States: Towards 2030” on Thursday (27 August 2020). The conference brought together political and business leaders as well as media representatives from Europe and the United States, to discuss sustainable future relations.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg held a series of high-level meetings in the German capital Berlin on Wednesday and Thursday (26-27 August).

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is attending a meeting of European Union Ministers of Defence in Berlin today (26 August 2020), to discuss missions and operations, the situation in Belarus as well as in the Eastern Mediterranean. In the margins of the meeting, Mr. Stoltenberg will have bilateral meetings with ministers and the EU High Representative / Vice President of the European Commission Josep Borrell. On Thursday (27 August 2020), Mr. Stoltenberg will meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

On Thursday, 27 August 2020, the NATO Deputy Secretary General Mr. Mircea Geoană will deliver a keynote speech at the Emerging Europe online debate, titled “Emerging Europe and the United States: Towards 2030”.

The NATO Secretary General, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg, will travel to Berlin on Wednesday, 26 and Thursday, 27 August 2020 to meet with senior German officials and attend an informal meeting of defence ministers of the European Union.

Six US Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bomber aircraft from the 5th Bomb Wing, Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota arrived at Royal Air Force Fairford in the United Kingdom on Saturday (22 August 2020). The long-planned deployment will involve flight training with NATO Allies and partners in the coming days.

A NATO AWACS aircraft arrived in Krakow, Poland on Friday (21 August 2020) for a week-long training event with the Polish and US air forces. The long-planned activity involves exercising air command and control over Allied territory. Based at Geilenkirchen Air Base in Germany, NATO's fleet of 14 AWACS aircraft conducts a wide range of operations – including flights in support of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, as well as Operation Sea Guardian.

Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG 1) has concluded a historical ordnance disposal operation along the north coast of Norway, in the Lofoten and Tromso areas, making them safer for fishermen, merchant shipping, underwater operations and civilian installations.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg spoke by telephone with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu on Wednesday (19 August 2020). They discussed recent developments in the eastern Mediterranean, as well as in Libya.

A NATO-funded project to dispose of old and dangerous ammunition in Ukraine has just resumed, following an interruption earlier this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Measures have been put in place to ensure that this important work continues in a safe manner. With the restart of activities, some 1,500 tons of unserviceable munitions are expected to be destroyed and safely disposed by the end of 2020. Since 2011, the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) has contributed to the safe elimination of around 30,000 tons of ammunition and 2.4 million antipersonnel landmines. The project is part of the “Demilitarization” Trust Fund, one of the ten NATO trust funds supporting Ukraine.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg addressed the situation in Belarus in a telephone conversation with President Andrzej Duda of Poland on Tuesday (18 August 2020).

Allied ships and aircraft conducted air-maritime integration training in the Baltic Sea on Thursday (13 August 2020). En route to a port visit in Riga, Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 vessels HMCS Toronto and NRP Corte Real conducted air defence training with Spanish F-18 and French Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets participating in NATO's Baltic Air Policing mission. A NATO AWACS aircraft was on-site, providing surveillance of the ships' movements.

On Thursday 13 August 2020, the Spanish Ministry of Defence delivered disinfectants to the Iraqi authorities, in response to the global Coronavirus pandemic. A ceremony to this effect was held at the Iraqi air base of Al-Muthana, in the presence of several officials, including Brigadier General Salah from the Prime Minister National Operation Command and the Spanish Chargée d’Affaires, Mrs Mariana Figueroa Sánchez.​​​​​​