NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg spoke to the media ahead of the Chancellery negotiations on August 27, 2020 in Berlin, Germany.
Omer Messinger | Getty Images News | Getty Images
US President Joe Biden is a “strong supporter” of NATO, and the alliance could be further strengthened with him in office, said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg this week.
“President Biden and his inauguration as the new president represent a new chapter in our alliance because Joe Biden is a strong supporter of NATO. He knows NATO very well,” the NATO chief told CNBC Hadley Gamble on Thursday. market.
This will be an opportunity to further strengthen NATO, he added, noting that Biden wants to rebuild alliances.
The U.S. commitment to NATO has reached a low point with former President Donald Trump. He repeatedly attacked the allies for paying less than their fair share to the group.
Stoltenberg said he hopes to work with the new administration to address issues around the world.
“We face so many challenges at the same time: the rise of China, the … shift in the global balance of power, a more assertive Russia using force against neighbors in Ukraine and elsewhere, and then, of course, the constant threat of attacks terrorists, “he said.
“None of us can face this alone, we have to be together,” he said. “I don’t just believe in America, I don’t just believe in Europe, I believe in Europe and North America together in NATO.”
US troops and NATO presence in Afghanistan, Iraq
Separately, Stoltenberg gave his opinion on the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan and Iraq.
“We must be careful [about] don’t leave too early, “he said.” At the same time, nobody wants to stay in Afghanistan or Iraq any longer than necessary. “
The Pentagon announced last week that the number of U.S. soldiers in both countries has been reduced to 2,500, as directed by Trump when he was president.
His government signed an agreement with the Taliban in February aimed at a permanent ceasefire in Afghanistan and would reduce the American military presence in the country.
What matters to me is that we make decisions together, that we are coordinating everything we do in Afghanistan.
NATO also has personnel in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Stoltenberg said that NATO is in close consultation with the new US government. “We will face a difficult dilemma,” he said.
Leaving would risk losing the gains made in Afghanistan in combating international terrorism and social progress, but staying means continuing involvement in a “difficult military conflict”.
“What matters to me is that we make decisions together, that we are coordinating everything we do in Afghanistan,” he said.
NATO plans to expand its presence in Iraq, added Stoltenberg.
“I strongly believe that the best way to help prevent the return of ISIS terrorists is to train Iraqi forces, helping them to fight the terrorists themselves,” he said.
– Matt Clinch of CNBC contributed to this report.