Washington, DC (April 3, 2019)– Today, US Vice President Mike Pence, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, U.S. Members of Congress, and Foreign Ministers from Germany, Turkey, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Georgia, Greece, and North Macedonia, convened at “NATO Engages,” a summit in Washington hosted by the Atlantic Council, German Marshall Fund, and Munich Security Conference.

Following a historic address to a joint session of Congress, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg spoke about NATO’s 70th anniversary, US commitments to the alliance, NATO’s relationship with Russia, among other topics. “I think we have to be able to both focus on and put emphasis on the importance of financial contributions, but at the same time not forget all the other contributions and all the other aspects of the NATO alliance,” said Stoltenberg. On Russia, he said: “My message is to continue to deliver credible deterrence and defense, continue to be strong, but there is no contradiction between strength and dialogue.  Actually, as long as we are strong, we can also engage in political dialogue with Russia” (VIDEO; TRANSCRIPT)

In a speech, Vice President Mike Pence urged NATO ally Germany to invest more in defense and warned against the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.  The Vice President also discussed the Trump administration’s stance on Turkey’s purchase of Russian S-300 missile defense systems: “Turkey must choose:  Does it want to remain a critical partner of the most successful military alliance in the history of the world, or does it want to risk the security of that partnership by making reckless decisions that undermine our alliance?” (VIDEO; TRANSCRIPT)

Also at NATO Engages: Greek foreign minister Giorgos Katrougalos and North Macedonian foreign minister Nikola Dimitrov, took the stage for a conversation together on the recent ratification of the Prespa Agreement and North Macedonia’s prospects for NATO accession (VIDEO). German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas gave remarks on Germany’s commitment to NATO; and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu discussed Turkey’s role in the alliance amidst regional security challenges and its relationship with Russia (VIDEO).

Other topics addressed over the course of the conference include NATO’s approach to emerging technologies and hybrid warfare, the role of the next generation in shaping the alliance’s future, NATO enlargement, and challenges posed by Russia and China. The program featured personal stories from a New York firefighter, a fighter pilot, and several who struggled against from behind the iron curtain. Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright closed the conference with reflections on the next decade of the alliance based on her personal experience of the alliance’s history.

Photos and video from the event are also available online:

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