NATO secretary general says coalition is strong

(14 Nov 2019) NATO Secretary-General tells reporters that "NATO is strong"  and "has implemented the biggest reinforcement to our collective defense since the end of the Cold War."

Despite comments from French President Emmanuel Macron that a lack of U.S. leadership is causing the military alliance's "brain death the secretary general said, "The reality is that NATO is actually stronger and more agile than they have been for many, many years."

Jens Stoltenberg after visiting President Donald Trump Thursday at the White House said that as NATO members prepare for the NATO Heads of State and Government meeting next month in the United Kingdom, "the allies are now stepping up, investing more."

He said that he and President Trump discussed burden-sharing and defense spending, two topics that the United States president has often criticized the coalition for not doing enough.

"They will, by the end of next year, have added more than a hundred billion extra for defense spending across to Europe and Canada," he said.

The Secretary-General also told reporters that Turkey and ally members have different views on the situation in northern Syria but "Turkey is a valued ally and plays an important role in our efforts to fight international terrorism," he said.



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