According to him, at present, within NATO and with the partners of the alliance, including in the region, the question of whether the North Atlantic Alliance can expand its role in the Middle East is being discussed.
Stoltenberg expressed the view that "NATO has the potential to do more, but mainly not through combat missions."
“The question that we are raising is not whether we can launch a new military operation, the problem is whether we can prevent a situation in which we are drawn into new hostilities. Preventive measures are better than intervention, ”said the Secretary General of the alliance.
Stoltenberg added that NATO could expand its role through training the military forces of the countries of the region, especially in Iraq.
Earlier, American leader Donald Trump and Stoltenberg held a telephone conversation during which they discussed the activities of the alliance in the Middle East.