The NATO summit next week in Madrid should have been the last of Jens Stoltenberg (Oslo, 63 years old) as Secretary General of the Alliance.
But the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which is often defined as the beginning of a new era in security, also disrupted NATO's plans, which has extended the Norwegian's mandate for a year so as not to take over in the midst of a war between two countries on the European continent.
Stoltenberg believes that in this warlike scenario, the summit from June 28 to 30 has gained a "decisive" dimension for the future of the Alliance and the security of the Old Continent, which after 70 years of almost uninterrupted peace is once again in the trenches, mass graves and bombed cities.
“We have already seen that taking peace for granted can end in war”,
Ask.
War has returned to the European continent, but is Europe at war?
Response.
There is a war in Europe caused by a brutal invasion against an independent, sovereign and democratic European nation like Ukraine.
But there is no total war between NATO and Russia.
And that, of course, is an important difference.
Q.
You often say that wars are unpredictable and you can't know when this conflict will end.
But do you have any predictions about whether it will end at a negotiating table or with the total defeat of one of the contenders?
R.
Most likely, this war will end at the negotiating table.
Our responsibility is to ensure that Ukraine is in as strong a position as possible and to help them remain a sovereign and independent European nation.
And the best way to do that is to provide strong military support, economic support, and push through tough sanctions against Russia.
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Follow the last hour of the war in Ukraine
Q.
In the seventies you were demonstrating against the war in Vietnam and now you are supporting one of the sides in an armed conflict.
What has changed?
R.
Then I was against the invasion of the United States and its military presence in Vietnam, just as I am now against the invasion of Russia and its use of military force against Ukraine.
Very different situations at very different times.
It is about respect for the sovereignty of nations.
The point is that peace can always be achieved if you surrender.
But Ukraine is fighting for its freedom, for its right to exist, for the right to be a democratic nation without submitting to the power of Russia.
And the Ukrainians are ready to pay a very high price, to sacrifice themselves for these values.
It is not for us to tell them how far their sacrifices should go.
P.
But perhaps they are pushing them to pay such a high price by offering them weapons and financing.
R.
We help them because they are asking for it.
And I understand this because they have been invaded by President Putin's forces.
They are threatened by the brutality of the Russian invasion and they are defending their identity, their culture, their independence, their freedom.
And throughout history we have seen nations willing to accept great sacrifices for freedom.
P.
The French president, Emmanuel Macron, considers the temptation to humiliate Russia to be dangerous.
Do you share that concern?
R.
What I see is the need to protect and support Ukraine and it is up to the Ukrainians to decide what they are willing to accept or not at a negotiating table.
Because there is no doubt that we are facing a war of aggression, in which the two sides are not equal.
There is an aggressor and a country that defends itself.
And the right to defend oneself is enshrined in the United Nations charter.
P.
The Europeans had not seen a war of this type on their continent for decades.
Is it a risk to take peace for granted?
R.
It is always a risk to take peace for granted.
For that reason, NATO has to remain agile and ready for all kinds of threats.
We have already seen that if peace is taken for granted it can end in war.
P.
The NATO summit in Madrid next week, is it a turning point in the organization's history or just another meeting?
A.
The Madrid summit is decisive and transformative for NATO.
It will be a historic summit for many reasons.
It will be historic, first of all, because the 30 allies are meeting in the midst of the biggest security crisis in Europe since the end of World War II.
And showing up together and united in Madrid is a powerful signal in these unpredictable and dangerous times.
Second, it will be historic because we will be making many important decisions.
The new strategic concept, which is the guide for the future of our alliance, will be adopted.
We will agree to the biggest transformation of our collective defense since the end of the Cold War, with more troops, rapid response readiness, and more equipment at the ready.
And we will agree on a full package of assistance to Ukraine.
Stoltenberg, at NATO headquarters in Brussels, on Friday. Delmi Álvarez
P.
NATO turns to Eastern Europe.
R.
We will also make important decisions related to the south, and that is particularly important for Spain and for other southern allies.
Spain has turned the south into an important issue for the Alliance and I congratulate it for that.
The focus, of course, is on Russia and Ukraine, because it is the most imminent challenge.
But we must not forget the other threats, including terrorism or instability in North Africa and the Sahel.
That is why we are going to reinforce our cooperation efforts with the countries of the South and we will agree on a new support package for Mauritania to help in the fight against terrorism, border control and the strengthening of defense and security.
Because we know that when our neighbors are stable, our security increases.
Q.
Why hold an apparently important summit in Spain, the ally that spends the least on defense along with Luxembourg?
R.
Spain is a highly valued ally, which contributes in many ways to our collective defense and our shared security.
Participate with armed forces in our deployments in the Baltic region, in aerial surveillance, in maritime deployments, with ships or aircraft in various missions and operations.
Spain also contributes to our fight against terrorism, including its participation in the mission in Iraq.
And it houses ships at the Rota base and our air command post in Torrejón.
And I would also like to commend Pedro Sánchez for his personal commitment to the Transatlantic Alliance.
P.
Numerous allies, including Spain, seem ready to announce an increase in defense spending at the Madrid summit.
Will it be fulfilled or will it be a mere promise?
R.
More and more allies are achieving the objective of spending the equivalent of 2% of their gross domestic product, which was the commitment agreed in 2014. Since then we have seen year after year an increase in the budget throughout Europe, also in Spain , and in Canada.
And we must also invest more together because the result is multiplied.
P.
The European Commission proposes the joint acquisition of weapons.
Do you support the idea?
R.
_
I believe that a greater effort by the EU in defense results in greater strength for both the European Union and NATO, both in terms of having new capabilities and increasing the competitiveness of the European defense industry.
But it must be done without duplicating NATO's efforts and without competing or overlapping with the Alliance, which will remain the cornerstone of Europe's security.
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