The NATO chief's double warning to Donald Trump and the Europeans (exclusive interview with Jens Stoltenberg)

(B2 - exclusive) In an interview with B2 and Sud-Ouest, published on Friday, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned mezzo voice the new American president, Donald Trump, like the Europeans not to play with fire.

• The language remains very polite and diplomatic, and it must often be read backwards. But, in the aftermath of the American election and on the eve of the meeting of EU foreign and defense ministers, the message is very clear: do not try to weaken the transatlantic link, to diminish the role of NATO, it is your best guarantee of stability for Europe, as for the United States! On European defence, the Secretary General of NATO does not want to commit further... The European desire to equip itself with a C2 (Command & Control) autonomous does not really seem to him a good idea. Rather, it encourages Europeans to invest in NATO.

Being a candidate is one thing, being president is another, Trump must follow in the footsteps of his predecessors

“Americans have always been committed to NATO for 70 years. It's a rock-solid commitment. I'm sure the United States will continue to be. (...) All American presidents have always been great supporters of NATO. Simply because they have seen that a strong NATO is not only good for Europe, it is also good for the United States. »

This is not the first reform for NATO and it can still adapt

“I will seek to work with [President-elect Donald Trump] to continue to adapt NATO to existing security challenges, as we have done with its predecessors before. »

Transatlantic solidarity was the first to benefit from the United States...in 2001! A fact that Donald Trump seems to have forgotten

“Article 5 was invoked by the United States after the attacks of September 11, 2001. It was the first and only time that this collective defense clause was implemented. Soldiers from all over Europe and Canada then responded, to go to Afghanistan, in a NATO operation. It was a direct response to an attack on the United States and an American request. Several hundred of them paid with their lives for this commitment. »

In a period of instability on the edges of Europe, NATO has its interest

" More than ever. Particularly in times of tension, increased instability and unpredictability, such as today, there is a need for strong institutions like the Alliance. NATO offers stability. NATO is a platform for cooperation. NATO makes it possible to have a solid link on both sides of the Atlantic. This has always been the core of the tasks of [our] organization. »

If we undermine this solidarity, we remove a key element of Euro-Atlantic deterrence

“As long as we are united, we will be able to send the very clear message that an attack on one is an attack on all. This is the best possible deterrent and will prevent a conflict. In a more dangerous world, where you have to respond both to a more assertive Russia in the East and to terrorism and instability in the South, NATO is there to deter and provide a solid defense. »

The need for burden sharing between Europe and the USA is a reality... And it is not new

“It's a real problem. It's certain. Every time I've been to Washington, it's the same message I've heard, coming from Congress, the White House, Obama and President-elect Donald Trump. This is the message from the United States..."

...and Europeans heard this message and started to take action

“In 2014, at the Wales summit, we collectively decided to stop defense cuts and gradually increase defense budgets to 2% of gross domestic product (GDP). From the first year after the decision, in 2015, after years of cuts, we were able to get the drop in spending to stop. And in 2016, the first estimates show that we managed to increase spending by just over 3%. There is still a long way to go, the situation is still ambivalent. Certainly. But it's at least much better than a few years ago. Yes, the [American] message was heard by the Europeans. »

The European Union's project to equip itself with an autonomous HQ for its military operations is... no

“It is too early for me to be specific about how to solve the different challenges. (...) The important thing now is to sit down and work together. And above all, it is essential that the process within the EU remains transparent (*) so that non-EU Allies can be certain that the way Europe strengthens its defense brings something extra (added value), is complementary and does not compete with NATO. »

Now is not the time to weaken the transatlantic bond

“I welcome the discussions in Europe to strengthen European defence. This is an ongoing discussion in Europe and in the European Union. I am convinced, indeed, that a stronger European defense will strengthen NATO, the transatlantic link and will ultimately allow for a more balanced sharing of the burden. It will be even easier to send the message to the United States that we are working together. »

NATO remains the key to European defense

"I welcome, in particular, the declarations of many European leaders saying that the objective is not to build a European army, to engage in collective defense or to present an alternative to NATO, but rather to do something complementary to NATO. »

Brexit further reinforces the need for NATO as 'cornerstone' of the defense

“We must realize that after Brexit, 80% of NATO spending will be provided by countries that are not members of the EU. And three of the four battalions deployed to Eastern Europe next year will then be led by non-EU countries (US, Canada, UK). There is no other way than to work together. »

(Comments collected by Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)

Full interview (published 11.11: A European defence: Yes, but... in addition to NATO

(*) This term can mean just as much the need for continuous information throughout the process of negotiation between Europeans, but also afterwards, during the functioning of any HQ or operations control centre. Which would then suppose, in one way or another, to closely associate the non-EU Allies (Turkey and the United Kingdom in the future) with this operation. We feel that the option of strengthening the European liaison unit within Shape could be favored by the Alliance rather than an autonomous command center within the EU military staff.