NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz to NATO headquarters on Friday (10 December 2021) for talks on a range of issues, including Russia’s substantial military build-up in and around Ukraine.
Mr Scholz’s visit to NATO was part of his first trip abroad as German chancellor, and the Secretary General said he looked forward to working closely with Mr Scholz. “You are a staunch, committed and strong supporter of the transatlantic Alliance”, Mr Stoltenberg said at a joint news conference.
Turning to Russia’s continuing military build-up, the Secretary General called on Russia to return to diplomacy and to de-escalate. “We welcome the talks between President Biden and President Putin, and Germany’s long-standing efforts in the Normandy format to find a political solution”, Mr Stoltenberg said, stressing that dialogue with Russia is even more important when tensions are high.
Read the Secretary General’s remarks here.