In his last days at the head of NATO, the Norwegian Jens Stoltenberg – who hands over this Tuesday to Mark Rutte – devoted himself to taking stock of his 10 years at the head of the organization. A period in whichthe world has changed profoundly” because Vladimir Putin “brought brutal war back to Europe.” At the same time, rivalry between great powers has accelerated and a whole series of challenges (terrorism, disruptive technologies, cyberattacks or climate change) have “transformed our security landscape”.
As the world has changed, NATO has attempted to adapt to new realities. Stoltenberg argues that “This past decade has been the most transformative for the Alliance since the Cold War.“: deployment of tens of thousands of combat-ready troops to the eastern flank, half a million troops on high alert across the Alliance, increased defense investment and industrial capacity, and four new allies ( Montenegro, North Macedonia, Finland and Sweden). The Alliance has also deepened its partnership with the countries of the Indo-Pacific. let them come.”
Stoltenberg sees the future as a priority ensuring the transatlantic link between Europe and the United States and views with skepticism the EU’s intention to develop its own defense pillar, with a commissioner dedicated to this objective in Ursula von der Leyen’s new team. “I welcome the fact that the EU is doing more on defense, provided that they do so in a way that does not duplicate or compete with NATO. What the EU does not “should not do is start building alternative defense structures,” said the outgoing president. Secretary General. He leaves his successor with five lessons that he says are essential to the “continued success” of the Alliance.
[Mark Rutte, el holandés que se entiende con (casi) todo el mundo y toma el relevo al frente de la OTAN]
SECURITY IS NOT FREE. After the Cold War, as tensions between the blocs eased, defense investment fell, particularly in Europe. Now that security is at stake, military spending must increase rapidly. The number of allies spending at least 2% of their GDP on defense increased from three in 2014 to 23 in 2024. For the first time, collective defense spending in Canada and Europe exceeded 2%. Spain comes in last position, barely reaching 1.28%. Stoltenberg warns that this goal “is no longer sufficient.” New defense plans for Europe’s security, approved at the 2023 NATO summit, call on allies to spend “significantly more than 2% on defense in the future.”
FREEDOM IS MORE VALUABLE THAN FREE TRADE. The outgoing head of NATO emphasizes that “our economic decisions have security consequences”. “Until recently, some Allies thought that buying gas from Russia was a purely commercial matter. However, we found that relying on Russian gas made us vulnerable. We must not make the same mistake with China. We need to better protect our critical infrastructure, avoid exporting technologies that can be used against us and reduce our vulnerability,” says Stoltenberg.
MILITARY FORCE IS A PRECONDITION FOR DIALOGUE. Stoltenberg’s third lesson must be applied to the case of Ukraine. “If we give Ukraine more weapons, we can make the Moscow regime understand that it cannot win on the battlefield and that the only option for Russia is to sit at the table. “Although it may seem paradoxical, the shortest path to peace and dialogue in Ukraine is to provide Ukraine with more weapons,” argues the Norwegian politician. According to him, since the start of the war in February 2022, “there is no basis for a constructive dialogue with Russia.” While it is clear that Moscow will have to participate in any peace deal, it is up to kyiv to decide when the time is right to begin talks. “Power is the only language Putin understands. Dialogue only works if it is based on solid defenses,” insists Stoltenberg.
MILITARY POWER HAS ITS LIMITS. The case of Afghanistan is the example given by the NATO Secretary General to illustrate his fifth lesson. After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, “it was right” to send NATO forces to Afghanistan to help destroy Al-Qaeda and prevent that country from becoming a haven for international terrorists . “We achieved our initial goals, but we also saw the cost of expanding the mission. Building a democratic and united Afghanistan, with equal rights for all, was a laudable goal, but too ambitious.” recognizes Stoltenberg.
He said the rapid collapse of the Afghan government and security forces “shows why it was right to leave.” “There is no evidence that staying for another 20 years would have changed the outcome. We may be asked to intervene militarily beyond our borders again in the future. However, any future operation must have clearly defined objectives throughout the operation. We must be clear about what NATO military power can and cannot achieve“, specifies the outgoing general secretary.
TAKE CARE OF THE LINK BETWEEN EU AND USA. A particularly relevant lesson given the possibility that Donald Trump, with whom Stoltenberg had to deal during his first term, returns to the White House and makes good on his threat to leave NATO. “On both sides of the Atlantic, we must recognize the value of the transatlantic alliance and invest in it. Europeans must understand that without NATO, there is no security in Europe. 80% of defense spending of NATO come from non-NATO allies, the EU”, he emphasizes.
“For their part, Americans must recognize the value of their friends and allies within NATO. From Korea to Afghanistan, the United States has never had to fight alone. Thirty-one countries contribute substantial contributions to American security and interests. Multiplying the power and influence of the United States in the world is an advantage that no other major world power possesses, he insists Stoltenberg’s message to. Trump is this: “NATO is one of America’s greatest assets“.
