NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated on Monday that relations with Russia have reached their lowest point since the end of the Cold War, noting that China is not an enemy of the alliance. He explained that NATO countries need to establish a strong, common policy to address the increasing rise of China, adding, "We are not entering a new Cold War with China; it is not an enemy to us."
Stoltenberg indicated that China is making extensive military investments and developing nuclear weapons, pointing out that "Chinese military influence poses a challenge." He mentioned to reporters at NATO headquarters before the arrival of leaders for the summit, "China is getting closer to us. We see them in cyberspace, we see China in Africa, but we also see China investing heavily in our critical infrastructure."
Regarding Afghanistan, the NATO Secretary General said, "We will continue to support Afghan forces even after withdrawing from Afghanistan." NATO leaders hope to open a new chapter in transatlantic relations during a summit with U.S. President Joe Biden, agreeing to focus on addressing climate change for the first time as well as countering the military rise of China.
This summit, which Stoltenberg described as a "pivotal moment," aims to turn the page on four years of tension with Biden's predecessor, Donald Trump, who undermined trust in the Western alliance by describing it as "obsolete."
Diplomats say the thirty allies gathered in Brussels are looking to help the nuclear-armed alliance, established in 1949, address threats ranging from severe weather exacerbating conflicts to Russian attempts to undermine Western democracies through covert attacks. Diplomats also indicated that discussions are likely to include Russia's attempts to divide the West, ahead of a meeting between Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva on Tuesday.
