NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg discussed the threats of Moscow's new arsenal and the difficult situation in the Middle East, and stressed that NATO's deterrence must remain credible, indicating that the alliance has to adapt to new conditions while working On promoting disarmament and controlling its proliferation, the following are excerpts from the dialogue conducted by Der Spiegel with Stoltenberg, in which he said that the new Russian missile systems are very dangerous:
Finally, Russia has introduced new cruise missiles and modern supersonic weapons. Moscow is now far ahead of the West in this field .. Do you think that there is a really serious imbalance?
New Russian missile systems are very dangerous; they are mobile, easy to hide, and can quickly reach European cities.
- NATO does not want to develop more nuclear weapons in Europe, but the US military has now deployed smaller nuclear warheads on submarines and is planning nuclear cruise missiles at sea.
We will not imitate Russia, but our deterrence must remain credible, and this means adapting to new circumstances. And in this case, with the new Russian weapons. At the same time, we are working to promote disarmament and control its spread.
-The Russians spend billions, and they take a big risk .. Why do they do all this?
We see what Russia is doing, and I do not want to speculate on the motives.
The US Department of Defense believes that Russia may consider a first strike with tactical nuclear weapons in Europe, where America is unlikely to respond with its massive strategic missiles, for fear of a nuclear war. What do you think will the US President Donald Trump risk New York to defend Tallinn? (The capital of Estonia)?
NATO's goal is to prevent conflicts, as it is based on one guarantee for all. If an alliance member is attacked, all allies will be returned. This is the basis for reliable deterrence. Second, the United States is increasing its military presence in Europe, as an expression of its commitment to its European allies. And third: NATO has a nuclear deterrent in Europe.
But at the Munich Security Conference, the French President, Emmanuel Macron, created the impression that the United States was no longer reliable, and that Europe needed to think of its own nuclear deterrent.
France and Britain have a deterrent nuclear potential, which greatly contributes to our overall security. But again, we already have a nuclear defense in Europe, that is, the NATO defense. We have common command structures, a common nuclear doctrine, and joint exercises.
- Is Trump currently courted by NATO, because he wants the coalition to bear the difficult tasks of the United States in Iraq, for example?
We are in Iraq to protect ourselves from terrorists. Until recently, ISIS took control of a large area equivalent to Britain. In Iraq, NATO is doing its part, North America and Europe are cooperating, and we are working together on the training mission.
So ... you reduce the burden on the Americans?
The idea that "NATO" replaces the United States is simply wrong. Look at Afghanistan, our presence in the Baltic region or Kosovo. The United States supports its commitments more than ever, and the alliance is already in Iraq, and together we have decided to do more there.
NATO's goal is to prevent conflicts, as it is based on one guarantee for all. And if an Alliance member is attacked, then it will restore all allies ... This is the basis for reliable deterrence.