Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană addressed Russia’s war on Ukraine and the future of NATO at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit on Friday (10 June 2022). Previewing the Alliance’s next Strategic Concept, which will be agreed at the Madrid Summit later in June, he said that the Concept will be a blueprint for NATO’s future adaptation.
Mr Geoană explained that the new Concept will reflect an era of great power competition, and recognise that Russia has become “one of the most important challenges to our security in Europe and also beyond”. He added that China’s role as a transformative player in world affairs will also be acknowledged. The next Strategic Concept will further highlight the importance of resilience and new technologies for Euro-Atlantic security.
Speaking about deterrence and defence, the Deputy Secretary General noted that NATO anticipates “a new generation of our presence in the East”. At the Madrid Summit, leaders will adapt the Alliance’s posture on the eastern flank for the longer term to reflect the new security reality. Mr Geoană said this is likely to include measures for faster and more effective reinforcement.
The Copenhagen Democracy Summit is an annual conference bringing together political and business leaders, including current and former heads of government, from the world’s democracies. It is led by Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Founder and Chairman of The Alliance of Democracies Foundation. Mr Rasmussen served as Secretary General of NATO from 2009 to 2014.