NEW DELHI: Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg, during his visit to Washington in preparation for the Nato’s 75th anniversary summit, called China to face repercussions if it continues to support Russia. He emphasized that a consistent supply of weapons to Ukraine is the only way to end the ongoing
conflict.
The upcoming July summit aims to send a strong, enduring message of support for Ukraine, particularly as President Joe Biden faces a challenging reelection campaign against Donald Trump, who has expressed skepticism about Western support for Kyiv.
Stoltenberg accused China of exacerbating the conflict by rebuilding Russia’s defence industry through significant exports, as reported by US officials. He stated, “Beijing cannot have it both ways. At some point — and unless China changes course — allies need to impose a cost. There should be consequences.”
The Nato summit will include not only the 32 alliance members but also four key partners from the Asia-Pacific region: Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and South Korea. Stoltenberg highlighted Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent visit to North Korea, which has provided shells to Moscow despite UN sanctions, as further evidence of Russia’s reliance on authoritarian leaders.
In an effort to “Trump-proof” future endeavors, Stoltenberg aims to position Nato at the forefront of coordination on Ukraine and establish a mechanism for long-term military funding. He emphasized, “The more credible our long-term support, the quicker Moscow will realize it cannot wait us out.” Despite the apparent paradox, Stoltenberg believes that providing more weapons to Ukraine is the path to peace.
Stoltenberg also plans to inform Biden about the increasing number of Nato members meeting the 2014 goal of allocating two percent of their GDP to defence spending. He acknowledged that successive US administrations have had a valid point in criticizing European allies for spending too little on defence.
However, he noted that the situation is changing, and while not entirely satisfied, Nato is in a significantly different position compared to 2014. “The good news is that’s changing,” Stoltenberg said.
“We’re not saying that we are satisfied, but we are in a totally different place now than we were back in 2014.”