Prime Minister will travel to Brussels today (Monday) for a NATO
Summit. The meeting is the first between leaders of the Alliance
since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic and the election
of President Biden.
Earlier this year the UK published a wholescale review of our
foreign, defence and security policy. The Integrated Review
demonstrated our unwavering commitment to Euro-Atlantic security
and the NATO alliance, underpinned by a £24.1 billion investment
in the UK’s defence capability.
Today the Prime Minister will tell fellow leaders that the global
recovery from coronavirus must be underpinned by our shared
security. The pandemic has been exacerbated by attacks on that
security, both directly through hostile actors carrying out
cyber-attacks on allies’ health systems, and indirectly through
the devastating impact instability and conflict can have on
countries’ ability to cope with health crises.
The coronavirus pandemic has therefore reinforced the value of
NATO and allies must redouble their commitment for the alliance
and ensure it adapts to meet the challenges of the future.
The Prime Minister will use his intervention at the Summit to
support the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s work on
modernising the Alliance. He will say that NATO has an obligation
to invest in research and development so we can face down the
challenges of the future, including cyber threats and the impact
of climate change on the global system.
He will underline his strong support for all the elements of the
NATO 2030 modernisation initiative, including stronger deterrence
and security, a reinforcement of Allies’ shared values, a renewed
focus on resilience and innovation, and new policies on climate
security, cyber defence and preventing sexual violence in
conflict.
The UK is Europe’s leading contributor to NATO and is equipping
the alliance with next-generation capabilities. This includes the
commitment of cyber capability to NATO and the deployment of the
Carrier Strike Group, which is currently participating in
exercises in the Mediterranean alongside Allies as part of a NATO
taskforce before sailing to the Indo-Pacific.
The Prime Minister said:
“NATO is not just important to the UK’s security, it
is our security.
“NATO owes it to the billion people we keep safe
every day to continually adapt and evolve to meet new challenges
and face down emerging threats. This will ensure NATO is still
the bedrock of global defence for generations to
come.”
“As we recover from the global devastation wreaked by
the coronavirus pandemic we need to do so with secure
foundations. The peace and stability brought by NATO has
underpinned global prosperity for over 70 years, and I have every
confidence it will continue to do so now.”
During their Summit today, Allies are expected to discuss the
drawdown of troops from Afghanistan and the new chapter in NATO’s
relationship with the country. The Prime Minister will pay
tribute to the 150,000 British troops who served in Afghanistan
and emphasise the UK’s commitment to support the Government of
Afghanistan, including in its efforts to counter terrorism,
through all of our diplomatic, development and defence work.
The Prime Minister will also outline the need for NATO to look
beyond the Euro Atlantic to address challenges further afield,
including in the Indo-Pacific.
