British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps: “We are in a pre

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British Defense Secretary Grant Shaps: “Democracy is in the crosshairs”

Photo: Tolga Akmen / EPA

NATO defense ministers are currently celebrating the 75th anniversary of the defense alliance in Brussels. Britain's Defense Secretary Grant Shapps has called for NATO to be strengthened in view of current threats. "We have moved from a post-war to a pre-war world," wrote Shapps in a guest article for the British newspaper "Telegraph" on the occasion of NATO's 75th anniversary.

»Russia threatens our neighbors. China is becoming increasingly aggressive. “Iran is using its proxies to wreak regional havoc from the Middle East to the Strait of Yemen,” his op-ed said. »And North Korea is constantly rattling its nuclear saber. These evil forces are increasingly joining forces and our democracy is in their crosshairs.”

Stoltenberg warns against going it alone

At the NATO anniversary celebration in Brussels, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also called for cohesion between North America and Europe. "Two world wars, the Cold War and every challenge we have faced since then have taught us that we need each other," said Stoltenberg at the ceremony with the foreign ministers of the alliance states. Europe needs North America for its security. At the same time, North America also needs Europe.

"The European allies have world-class military forces, extensive intelligence networks and unique diplomatic influence that multiply America's power," explained Stoltenberg. Through NATO, the United States would have more friends and more allies than any other major power. “Together we are stronger and safer,” said Stoltenberg. At the same time, however, a fair distribution of burdens is essential.

With his statements, Stoltenberg was probably aimed at former US President Donald Trump, who will run for the Republicans again in the US election in November, and his party. During his term in office from 2017 to 2021, Trump repeatedly criticized NATO and at times even threatened to withdraw the USA from the alliance.

Integrate Ukraine more closely into NATO

At the NATO celebration, several defense ministers also called for Ukraine to be more closely integrated into NATO. According to Latvian department head Krisjanis Karins, several ministers support the plan for a five-year fund worth 100 billion euros for Ukraine. The proposals from NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg were generally received positively, said Karins before the second day of the NATO foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels.

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock welcomed a stronger role for NATO in coordinating aid to Ukraine. But one has to be careful that there is no double spending because the EU already has a fund worth billions for military aid to Ukraine. “Within NATO we must further strengthen and consolidate our activities and our support for Ukraine,” said Baerbock in Brussels. This applies in particular to the training of Ukrainian soldiers and the coordination of aid to Ukraine, "which also protects our security and freedom."

At the same time, Baerbock defined the limits of NATO commitment: “We made it clear from the start that our top priority is the protection of our own population, our own European states, and that is why NATO will not be a party to the conflict and is not a party to the conflict .”

The 32 NATO foreign ministers want to celebrate the 75th birthday of the Western defense alliance today. They will also meet their Ukrainian colleague Dmytro Kuleba in the NATO-Ukraine Council. This is also about helping Ukraine in its defense against Russia. The two youngest alliance members Finland and Sweden also took part in the meeting. "Democratic nations and free people have chosen to join NATO, in contrast to Russia, which is expanding through annexation or illegal aggression," said Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen.

NATO was founded on April 4, 1949 in Washington in response to the perceived threatening policies of the communist Soviet Union. After a phase of international crisis operations after the end of the Cold War, its focus has been on deterrence and defense against Russia since the beginning of the Ukraine conflict.

lpz/dpa/Reuters