NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg issued a stern warning to China on Wednesday regarding its continued support for Russia amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.
“It’s not sustainable and viable that China continues to fuel the biggest security threat challenge for NATO allies, especially in Europe, by propping up the Russian war economy,” Stoltenberg told reporters in Ottawa. He arrived in the Canadian capital to meet with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Stoltenberg and Trudeau are set to finalize preparations for the upcoming NATO Summit in Washington next month. The NATO chief praised Canada’s contributions as a NATO ally.
When questioned about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to North Korea, Stoltenberg emphasized the importance of unity among NATO allies as “authoritarian powers like Russia, North Korea, Iran, and China are aligning more and more.”
“It’s extremely important that we (NATO), in light of the alignment between Russia, China, and North Korea, are also working more closely with our partners in the Asia Pacific—Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, and Australia,” he stated. Stoltenberg added that Putin’s visit highlights Russia’s reliance on its “authoritarian friends” in its conflict with Ukraine.
Stoltenberg continued to caution China over its support for Russia, asserting that “there will and must be some consequences.”
Regarding Canada’s plans to meet NATO’s defense spending target of at least 2% of GDP, Stoltenberg urged all allies to reach this goal and expressed his eagerness to learn about Canada’s plans.
Stoltenberg stressed the importance of NATO investing in defense to prevent war, especially as countries like China and Russia are “investing heavily in new military capabilities, including long-range weapons and advanced missile systems.”
“The best way to ensure that we preserve peace is to stand together as NATO and invest as we have agreed. We have agreed in NATO to invest at least 2%,” he reiterated.
Before the news conference, Stoltenberg was honored with the Louis St. Laurent Award of Excellence for his “outstanding service to peace and security” at an event hosted by the NATO Association of Canada and the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association.–News Desk