“…We have overcome our disagreements in the past. And we must overcome our differences now. Because we will need our Alliance even more in the future.
“We face unprecedented challenges, challenges no one nation can face alone. The global balance of power is shifting. The fight against terrorism is a generational fight. We have only just seen the beginning of the threats in cyber space. Artificial intelligence, quantum computing and big data could change the nature of conflict more fundamentally than the Industrial Revolution.
“And we will need to continue to deal with a more assertive Russia.
“In 2014, Russia illegally annexed Crimea. The first time in Europe that one country had taken part of another by force since World War II.
“We see a pattern of Russian behavior. Including a massive military build-up from the Arctic to the Mediterranean and from the Black Sea to the Baltic. The use of a military-grade nerve agent in the United Kingdom. Support for Assad’s murderous regime in Syria. Consistent cyberattacks on NATO allies and partners, targeting everything from Parliaments to power grids. Sophisticated disinformation campaigns. And attempts to interfere in democracy itself.
“NATO has responded with the biggest reinforcement of our collective defense in decades.
“For the first time, we have combat-ready troops deployed in the east of our Alliance. We have increased the readiness of our forces. Tripled the size of the NATO Response Force. Modernized our command structure. Bolstered our cyber defenses.
“And we have stepped up support for our close partners, Georgia and Ukraine, sovereign nations with the sovereign right to choose their own path.
“We do all of this not to provoke a conflict. But to prevent a conflict.
And to preserve the peace. Not to fight, but to deter. Not to attack, but to defend. …”
– NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg addressing a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress on April 3. (Source: Transcript released by NATO)