00:00So, Secretary Austin, Deloitte, welcome back to NATO Headquarters.
00:05It's always a great pleasure to welcome you here.
00:08And thank you so much for your engagement, your commitment, your leadership for our transatlantic alliance.
00:14This is even more important now in these dangerous times.
00:18I also look forward to welcoming President Biden and all the other NATO leaders next week for an extraordinary NATO
00:27summit.
00:29At our extraordinary defense ministerial meeting today, we will, of course, address the brutal invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
00:41This is devastating for the Ukrainian people, and it will also change our security environment.
00:48It will have long-lasting consequences for our security for all NATO allies.
00:53NATO has responded in a united and swift way.
00:59NATO allies have imposed severe sanctions on Russia.
01:04Allies provide significant support to Ukraine, military support, financial support, humanitarian support.
01:12And we are reinforcing our collective defense.
01:15hundreds of thousands of troops on heightened alert, 100,000 troops, U.S. troops in Europe.
01:23And then 40,000 troops under NATO command, direct NATO command, mostly in the eastern part of the alliance, supported
01:32by naval and air forces.
01:36And, of course, the United States and you personally, Secretary Austin, you are playing a key role in these efforts
01:42to really increase and strengthen our collective defense.
01:48More U.S. troops in Europe is a strong message of transatlantic unity.
01:52And we are extremely grateful for your support to what we do together in the eastern part of the alliance.
02:04I have met U.S. troops over the last couple of weeks in Estonia, in Latvia, in Poland, in Romania.
02:10And I am always struck by the commitment, by the professionalism of the U.S. men and women in uniform.
02:19And there is no other stronger message of transatlantic unity than having forces from North America serving in Europe.
02:30At the meeting today, we will also not only address the immediate consequences of Russia's invasion of Ukraine,
02:39but we will also address the more long-term consequences, the long-term adaptation of our alliance,
02:44how to further strengthen our returns and defense and to remove any room for miscalculation or misunderstanding in Moscow
02:53about our readiness to protect and defend all allies.
02:57NATO has the responsibility to ensure that these crises do not escalate beyond Ukraine.
03:04And that's also the reason why we have increased the presence in the eastern part of the alliance.
Commenti