1:15 P.M. EEST

 

SECRETARY GENERAL STOLTENBERG:  President Biden, dear Joe, welcome to the NATO Summit.  And many, many thanks for your strong leadership making this alliance united and even stronger.  This summit is already historic because the agreement we made yesterday will make Sweden a full member of NATO.  And that will make our alliance even more capable of defending all Allies.

 

At this meeting, we will also send a clear message to Ukraine that we stand by them as long as needed and also that we agree on a united and positive message — message on the path forward for Ukraine and membership for Ukraine.

 

Another major message from this summit will be that we need to invest more in our defense.  And we will agree on a new defense investment pledge where we state clearly that 2 percent of GDP for defense is the minimum.

 

The good news is that European Allies and Canada are stepping up.  This year, we have new numbers showing that they have added 8.3 percent in real terms for the defense budget.  This is a record high, and that demonstrates that Allies are delivering on their commitments.

 

So, once again, Mr. President, it’s great to have you here at the NATO Summit.

 

MR. PRESIDENT:  It’s good to be here.  And thank you for continuing to deliver.

 

I — as I’ve made no mis- — the press is not at all surprised that I’ve been touting the fact that I think it’s really important at this critical moment in Ukrai- — in the whole NATO issue that you continue to lead NATO.  You’re trusted.  No one knows the situation that we’re facing better than you do.

 

And this historic moment — the adding of Finland and Sweden to — to NATO — it’s consequential.  And your leadership really matters.  And the — and we agreed on the language that — that we proposed, that you proposed, relative to the future of Ukraine being able to join NATO.

 

And we’re looking forward to continuing a united NATO.  They’ve heard me say — my American press have heard me say many times I still think that President Putin thinks the way he succeeds is to break NATO.  Not going to do that, especially with you as the lead of it.

 

So, thank you for being willing to do it.

 

SECRETARY GENERAL STOLTENBERG:  Thank you so much.

 

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Thank you, thank you, thank you.

 

SECRETARY GENERAL STOLTENBERG:  Thank you.

 

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Thank you, all.

 

1:18 P.M. EEST

 

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NATO 2023 Vilnius summit  held from July 11 to July 12th, 2023, in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. The summit was officially proposed during the 2022 Madrid summit and its dates were fixed on 9 November 2022  In the summit, world leaders discussed the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine as well as Sweden and Ukraine's prospective memberships into NATO which the Venue(s) LITEXPO  and will precedes 2024 Washington Summit.  :  www.nato.int.

Defense:  Official portrait of NATO Heads of State and Government at the NATO Summit in Vilnius:

 

Romanian President Klaus Werner Iohannis, Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and US President Joe Biden are greeted by, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, and President of the Republic of Lithuania Gitanas Nausėda, at the NATO Summit in Vilnius, on 11 July 2023.

Official greeting by NATO Secretary General and Lithuanian President at the NATO Summit in Vilnius (Montenegro, The Netherlands, Poland, Slovenia and North Macedonia)

 

NATO:  Secretary General concludes historic NATO Summit in Vilnius

Wrapping up the Summit in Vilnius on Wednesday (12 July 2023), Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed that NATO leaders took major decisions to adapt the Alliance for the future. Allies agreed NATO’s most detailed and robust defence plans since the Cold War, strengthened their commitment to defence investment, agreed to bring Ukraine closer to NATO, and deepened partnerships around the world.

 

 



 

JULY 04, 2023

Statement from President Joe Biden on NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg’s Extension

STATEMENTS AND RELEASES

 

I welcome the announcement that NATO will extend Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s term for an additional year.  With his steady leadership, experience, and judgment, Secretary General Stoltenberg has brought our Alliance through the most significant challenges in European security since World War II.  Today, our Alliance is stronger, more united and purposeful than it has ever been. I look forward to continuing the work with Secretary General Stoltenberg to further strengthen the Alliance next week at the NATO Summit in Vilnius, and ahead of the 75th Anniversary NATO Summit in Washington, D.C. next year.

 

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Sources: Youtube, White House, wikipedia, yahoo, defense now,

AA. independant, Flickr

July 9th, 2023 July  31st, 2023, July 31st, 2023, Rev. August 4th, 2023

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