Foreign Ministers gathered at NATO Headquarters on Thursday to mark 75 years since the signing of the Alliance’s founding document, the North Atlantic Treaty.
Since 1949, the Alliance has ensured peace, democracy and prosperity for its members, now counting 32 Allies and one billion people on both sides of the Atlantic. This year’s NATO Day comes just weeks after Sweden joined as the thirty-second member of the Alliance.
In a speech marking the anniversary, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed that “NATO is bigger, stronger, and more united than ever”.
He welcomed that the founding treaty, normally kept in Washington, D.C., was on display at NATO Headquarters for the first time, saying: “never has a single document with so few words meant so much to so many people. So much security, so much prosperity, and so much peace. All because of its solemn promise: that we stand together, and protect one another, as we have for 75 years.”
Admiral Bauer, Chair of the NATO Military Committee, stated that across Europe and North America, 3.5 million men and women in uniform are upholding a shield against aggression.
“Together, we are protecting much more than physical safety. We are collectively defending freedom and democracy,” Admiral Bauer said.
Hi folks hope all is well. Upon reading the statement it does indeed sound very encouraging, and in the main would give the impression that NATO is a force not to be engaged with. On paper NATO is a very impressive organisation, disciplined and one that could out manover and win a military engagement with any nation conventionally. That said, I do wonder who would be the first nations to step up first in an unfortunate exchange on the field? I can guess the UK, US, Poland and a few eastern countries, possibly France. I’m not convinced that many central… Read more »
Hi George, why so pessimistic? All NATO countries deployed forces the last time Article 5 was called and that wasn’t even to defend our continent against a major state ‘actor’.
Looking at the partial news we get Ukraine needs more Western world help right now! Whatever it’s going to take to push Russian forces out of Ukraine and shut the gate. “Can do” politician’s need to be “will do”!! What with the Olympics coming up and with Russia being ostracised, hope we keep a good eye on them and their friends around the world.
And surely it’s over time for the UK to get more serious about its GBAD! Look at what’s happening in Ukraine with all the deadly shit flying over the fence!