Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg virtually addressed NATO’s annual Nuclear Policy Symposium on Wednesday (3 November 2021), saying that the Alliance is adapting to a more challenging security environment and responding to growing nuclear threats.
“We do this by keeping our nuclear deterrence strong,” said the Secretary General, “but we must continue to adapt, and enhance the credibility and effectiveness of our nuclear capabilities,” he added. At the same time, Mr. Stoltenberg made it clear that NATO continues to play its part in support of arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation efforts. In this regard, he said that NATO’s “aim is a world free of nuclear weapons. But as long as they exist, NATO will remain a nuclear Alliance.”
The NATO Nuclear Policy Symposium is the alliance’s main nuclear policy event. It focusses on a wide range of topics associated with nuclear defence, including ways to bolster the Alliance’s deterrence and defence posture, further arms control objectives and identify priorities for adapting NATO’s nuclear policy. This year’s symposium, held on 3 and 4 November, is hosted by Greece.