NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg participated in a secure conference call hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday (19 April 2022), in order to address Russia’s latest offensive in the Donbas region of Ukraine, maintain severe costs being levied on the Kremlin, and coordinate on further support for Ukraine.
The call included British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, Polish President Andrzej Duda, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, as well as the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Council Charles Michel, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
The leaders condemned Russia’s current assault along the front line in eastern Ukraine, including with heavy shelling which is causing even greater human suffering. The leaders stressed that President Putin must end the war immediately, and they agreed on the importance of imposing even higher costs on Moscow until he does so. The Secretary General updated his colleagues on work to reinforce NATO’s deterrence and defence, stressing that NATO will do whatever is necessary to protect and defend all Allies. He also briefed the other leaders on Allies’ work to provide Ukraine with further military, economic, and humanitarian aid.