The NATO Summit in Madrid drew to a close on Thursday (30 June 2022) with decisions to transform and strengthen the Alliance. Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said: “The decisions we have taken in Madrid will ensure that our Alliance continues to preserve peace, prevent conflict, and protect our people and our values. Europe and North America, standing together in NATO.”
Allied
leaders agreed on a fundamental shift in NATO’s deterrence and defence, with
strengthened forward defences, enhanced battlegroups in the eastern part of the
Alliance, and an increase in the number of high readiness forces to well over
300,000. Leaders also agreed to invest more in NATO and to increase common
funding. During the Summit, NATO’s closest partners Finland and Sweden were
invited to join the Alliance, a significant boost to Euro-Atlantic security.
Allies further agreed on long-term support for Ukraine through a strengthened
Comprehensive Assistance Package.
Leaders
endorsed a new NATO Strategic Concept, the blueprint for the Alliance in a more
dangerous and competitive world. It sets out NATO’s approach to Russia and to
other threats, including terrorism, cyber and hybrid. For the first time, the
Strategic Concept addresses the challenges posed by China. Leaders agreed on
steps to fight climate change, including targets to cut NATO greenhouse gas
emissions and move towards Net Zero by 2050. A new NATO Innovation Fund to help
the Alliance sharpen its technological edge was also launched at the Summit.
NATO leaders met with key partners to address global challenges and
Indo-Pacific partners Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea
participated together in a NATO Summit for the first time. Allies also
recommitted to the fight against terrorism, and addressed NATO’s response to
threats and challenges from the Middle East, North Africa and Sahel.
At his
closing press conference the NATO Secretary General said: “We face the most
serious security situation in decades. But we are rising to the challenge with
unity and resolve.” He thanked Spain for hosting the historic Summit and said a
NATO Summit would be held in Vilnius, Lithuania next year.
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