NATO to adopt new military strategy in light of 'growing Russian threat'
For the first time in recent decades, NATO’s military experts have reconsidered the alliance’s military strategy in connection with the “growing nuclear threat” from Russia, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag.
“Our military experts adopted a new military strategy for the alliance this week,” Stoltenberg said.
He observed that since 2014, a “new security situation has emerged”, with new challenges in eastern and southern Europe.
“We need to continue to fully demonstrate our defensive capabilities, and have the ability to ensure stability. This sometimes requires new military concepts,” the secretary general explained.
He emphasized that part of the alliance’s strength lies in its ability to change, if necessary.
The NATO secretary general recalled that in 2014, the organization’s member states agreed to increase their defense expenditure to 2% of their GDP. He remarked that this is not some arbitrary figure designed to satisfy US President Donald Trump’s demands, but rather “reflects the requirements associated with the alliance’s military defensive capabilities”.
Stoltenberg welcomed Germany’s willingness to increase its defense expenditure to 1.35% of the GDP this year, and expressed hope that the percentage would be further increased in future.