Biden Awards Stoltenberg the "Presidential Freedom Medal"

U.S. President Joe Biden surprised NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg by awarding him the Presidential Freedom Medal following his speech at the NATO summit. The prestigious award is the highest civilian honor in the United States. Biden addressed Stoltenberg, stating, "You suspended your plans when the Russian war on Ukraine began. Today, NATO is stronger and more active than it was when you started." He added, "A billion people across Europe and North America, indeed around the world, will reap the benefits of your work for years to come," describing Stoltenberg as "a man of integrity and intellectual rigor, with a calm demeanor in moments of crisis, and a skilled diplomat who works with leaders from across the political spectrum and always finds a way to make it happen."