Biden assures NATO chief of commitment to strengthening transatlantic security
President Joe Biden, in a call with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to the alliance’s collective defense.
Biden also conveyed his intention to consult and work with allies on the full range of shared security concerns , including Afghanistan, Iraq, and Russia, the White House said in a statement. He thanked the NATO chief for his steadfast leadership of the Alliance and emphasized the importance of shared values, consultation, and capabilities to strengthen deterrence and counter new and emerging threats, including climate change and global health security.
President Biden reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to NATO’s collective defense under Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty and underscored his commitment to strengthening transatlantic security.
Jens Stoltenberg welcomed President Biden’s focus on rebuilding alliances. The two also agreed to work together on preparing the NATO Summit in Brussels later this year and stressed the need to maintain the momentum for increased defense spending.
During the phone call, they discussed the range of challenges that NATO members face, such as “countering international terrorism, including in Afghanistan and Iraq, dealing with a more assertive Russia, and addressing the implications for our security of the rise of China” the NATO statement said.
The White House also released a brief edited video of the phone call:
