WEBVTT 00:00.510 --> 00:03.460 who started the very top with 00:04.600 --> 00:08.370 NPR . Thank you . 00:08.380 --> 00:11.550 Mr Secretary General you said that you 00:11.550 --> 00:13.383 will be making decisions at this 00:13.383 --> 00:15.790 meeting about how to increase national 00:15.790 --> 00:18.380 stockpiles and and keep your keep your 00:18.380 --> 00:20.491 arsenals full while supplying more to 00:20.491 --> 00:22.547 Ukraine . But for example , with the 00:22.547 --> 00:24.602 air defense , the air to air missile 00:24.602 --> 00:26.713 system that Germany is sending . That 00:26.713 --> 00:28.713 was something that that Germany was 00:28.713 --> 00:30.880 expo to order for itself . Estonia has 00:30.880 --> 00:33.102 sent its entire shipment of javelins to 00:33.102 --> 00:35.324 Ukraine . So are you worried that while 00:35.324 --> 00:37.225 allies are supplying Ukraine with 00:37.235 --> 00:39.405 everything they can , they are leaving 00:39.405 --> 00:41.461 themselves unprotected at home . And 00:41.461 --> 00:43.572 what will be your deliverables out of 00:43.572 --> 00:45.794 this meeting ? That will change that in 00:45.794 --> 00:45.685 terms of manufacturing processes and 00:45.685 --> 00:47.463 streamlining this . Thank you . 00:49.450 --> 00:52.810 NATO Allies have provided unprecedented 00:52.820 --> 00:56.760 support to Ukraine with capabilities , 00:56.760 --> 00:59.410 weapons , ammunition , different types 00:59.410 --> 01:01.299 of military support . And that is 01:01.299 --> 01:03.410 something of course we welcome and we 01:03.410 --> 01:06.310 have encouraged this from NATO Ever 01:06.310 --> 01:09.290 since the invasion started . Actually . 01:09.290 --> 01:11.860 We did that before the invasion . We 01:11.860 --> 01:14.027 have to remember that NATO allies have 01:14.027 --> 01:16.530 brought support to Ukraine since 2014 01:16.540 --> 01:18.762 including training tens of thousands of 01:18.762 --> 01:20.929 Ukraine officers holders which are now 01:20.929 --> 01:22.940 playing a key role in the defense 01:22.940 --> 01:25.840 against the Russian aggression against 01:25.850 --> 01:28.210 Ukraine . But after invasion , Allies 01:28.210 --> 01:31.040 stepped up and of course very much of 01:31.040 --> 01:32.873 the support that the allies have 01:32.873 --> 01:35.790 provided the javelins , the air defense 01:35.790 --> 01:37.734 systems , the ammunition they have 01:37.734 --> 01:39.957 provided to Ukraine that has been taken 01:39.957 --> 01:42.620 from existing stocks . So by doing that 01:42.620 --> 01:45.300 they have reduced their stocks . But 01:45.300 --> 01:47.300 that has been the right thing to do 01:47.570 --> 01:50.330 because it is important for all of us 01:50.340 --> 01:54.200 that Ukraine wins the 01:54.200 --> 01:57.730 battle , the war against the invading 01:57.740 --> 02:01.640 Russian forces because if Putin 02:01.640 --> 02:05.450 wins , that is not only a big defeat 02:05.450 --> 02:07.580 for Ukrainians but it will be defeat 02:07.590 --> 02:09.930 and dangerous for all of us because it 02:09.930 --> 02:12.890 will make the world more dangerous and 02:12.890 --> 02:15.110 it will will make us more vulnerable 02:15.110 --> 02:18.150 for further Russian aggression . So 02:18.150 --> 02:20.372 that's the reason why we have used NATO 02:20.372 --> 02:22.539 stocks , stocks , NATO other countries 02:22.539 --> 02:25.020 to provide support to Ukraine . But of 02:25.020 --> 02:28.440 course the the longer this war drags on , 02:28.450 --> 02:30.672 the more important is that we also then 02:30.672 --> 02:32.800 are able to replenish the stocks and 02:32.800 --> 02:35.530 that's exactly why we now addressing 02:35.540 --> 02:39.530 how can we ramp up production so we can 02:39.540 --> 02:42.480 produce more , both to replenish stocks 02:42.490 --> 02:44.780 but also to continue to support Ukraine 02:45.320 --> 02:47.210 and I expect ministers to make 02:47.210 --> 02:50.990 decisions at the ministerial meeting 02:51.000 --> 02:53.450 tomorrow and the day after tomorrow on 02:53.460 --> 02:56.510 how to use the NATO defense planning 02:56.510 --> 02:59.630 process to agree on the 02:59.640 --> 03:02.230 more ambitious targets 03:02.240 --> 03:06.120 on for instance , different 03:06.130 --> 03:08.840 capabilities including look into the 03:08.850 --> 03:11.330 possibility of increasing the targets , 03:11.330 --> 03:14.290 the guidance for stocks . This will 03:14.290 --> 03:17.130 provide the industry with the long term 03:17.140 --> 03:19.650 demand . They need to invest in new 03:19.660 --> 03:23.390 production capabilities because they 03:23.390 --> 03:25.501 have been able to increase production 03:25.501 --> 03:29.320 party by utilizing existing production 03:29.330 --> 03:32.310 capacity more but to really ramp up 03:32.310 --> 03:34.254 production , they need to make new 03:34.254 --> 03:36.650 investments , also expect them to agree 03:36.660 --> 03:39.780 on how we can further strengthen our 03:39.790 --> 03:41.901 interoperability , ensure that allies 03:41.901 --> 03:44.290 can work together and also jointly 03:44.430 --> 03:47.810 purchase ammunition 03:47.820 --> 03:51.790 capabilities to reduce stocks but also 03:51.790 --> 03:54.730 to actually ensure interoperability 03:54.730 --> 03:58.130 between allies and the the 03:58.130 --> 04:01.640 unique NATO defense planning process is 04:01.650 --> 04:04.270 I think the best tool to ensure that 04:04.270 --> 04:06.810 allies are coordinated and actually 04:06.810 --> 04:09.640 provide the long term demand messages 04:09.640 --> 04:11.640 to industry to ramp up production . 04:12.160 --> 04:14.160 Okay , we'll go to Associated Press 04:14.740 --> 04:17.230 just then . Thanks . 04:19.030 --> 04:21.086 Yes . Lorne Cook from the Associated 04:21.086 --> 04:22.863 Press , I have a question on on 04:22.863 --> 04:26.800 infrastructure Germany was how 04:26.800 --> 04:29.850 can I put it ? Um Deutsche Bahn had its 04:29.860 --> 04:32.080 communications cables severed over the 04:32.080 --> 04:34.650 weekend in Germany cut off transport in 04:34.650 --> 04:36.761 the north of the country . We've also 04:36.761 --> 04:39.300 seen the leaks to the to the pipelines . 04:39.300 --> 04:41.578 Obviously nord stream going to Germany . 04:41.780 --> 04:45.320 Um at what point do these attacks ? 04:45.330 --> 04:48.460 Uh sorry , do these incidents then 04:48.460 --> 04:51.640 become acts of war ? And how does NATO 04:51.650 --> 04:53.428 respond to that as a collective 04:53.428 --> 04:55.483 alliance ? You said the allies would 04:55.483 --> 04:57.650 respond but how do you do that in this 04:57.650 --> 04:59.372 kind of instance ? Thank you . 05:01.240 --> 05:03.310 Last year's NATO has 05:05.640 --> 05:07.807 implemented the biggest transformation 05:07.807 --> 05:09.973 of collective defense since the end of 05:09.973 --> 05:11.973 the Cold War and part of that is to 05:11.973 --> 05:14.770 take fully into account hybrid threats , 05:14.780 --> 05:17.620 cyber threats and therefore also stated 05:17.620 --> 05:20.000 a few years ago that hybrid and cyber 05:20.000 --> 05:23.270 attacks can trigger article five can 05:23.270 --> 05:25.437 constitute an armed attack against the 05:25.437 --> 05:29.090 NATO ally and we have stepped up 05:29.100 --> 05:32.120 both our work on resilience the 05:32.120 --> 05:34.342 protection of critical infrastructure . 05:34.650 --> 05:37.540 We are conducting more exercises both 05:37.550 --> 05:40.210 on hybrid threats and cyber threats and 05:40.210 --> 05:42.340 we are exchanging best practices and 05:42.340 --> 05:44.630 also agreed guidelines on the 05:44.630 --> 05:46.852 protection of critical infrastructure . 05:46.852 --> 05:48.852 All of this is about protecting for 05:48.852 --> 05:52.260 instance , undersea capabilities of 05:52.260 --> 05:54.740 undersea infrastructure , pipelines , 05:54.750 --> 05:56.940 cables , but also of course energy 05:57.320 --> 06:00.220 grids , energy production , 06:00.230 --> 06:03.230 transportation infrastructure . Of 06:03.230 --> 06:05.063 course I cannot comment on those 06:05.063 --> 06:07.119 specific incidents because there are 06:07.119 --> 06:09.119 ongoing investigations . I think we 06:09.119 --> 06:11.008 need to await the outcome of this 06:11.008 --> 06:13.174 investigation before we make any final 06:13.174 --> 06:15.900 judgment . But in general I can say 06:15.910 --> 06:18.040 that of course we are closely monitor 06:18.050 --> 06:20.660 monitoring every incident that may 06:20.660 --> 06:24.280 constitute or cyber attack against NATO 06:24.280 --> 06:27.210 allies . And we are ready to take the 06:27.210 --> 06:29.950 necessary measures if needed . Exactly 06:29.950 --> 06:32.090 what kind of measure , depends on the 06:32.090 --> 06:34.150 nature of the attack . And we will 06:34.150 --> 06:36.270 never give our potential adversaries 06:36.270 --> 06:39.110 the privilege of defining exactly where 06:39.110 --> 06:42.490 the treasure for Article five goals ? 06:42.500 --> 06:44.630 That will be a decision we make as 06:44.640 --> 06:48.300 allies taken into account the precise 06:48.690 --> 06:51.750 context , the specific situation we 06:51.750 --> 06:54.610 will face if there is a hybrid of cyber 06:54.610 --> 06:56.166 attack against the allies . 07:03.760 --> 07:05.870 Thank you , thank you . And uh 07:05.880 --> 07:07.930 Secretary General according to 07:07.940 --> 07:10.960 americans and Ukrainians yesterday 07:10.970 --> 07:13.640 strike on Ukraine well planned in 07:13.640 --> 07:15.840 advance and nothing to do with Kerch 07:15.840 --> 07:19.500 Bridge as Russian claims And more over . 07:19.510 --> 07:23.050 Some analysts also said that Ukraine 07:23.060 --> 07:25.710 has nothing to do with Kerch Bridge 07:25.720 --> 07:28.170 which was simply used as pretext for 07:28.170 --> 07:31.710 this strike . Does NATO share the same 07:31.720 --> 07:35.480 assessment ? And do you think is this a 07:35.480 --> 07:38.640 turning point of this war ? What could 07:38.640 --> 07:41.620 it change on the battlefield and some 07:41.620 --> 07:44.420 short follow up to terry question , You 07:44.420 --> 07:47.100 said that ministers will discuss how 07:47.100 --> 07:50.750 refill stocks only tomorrow ? But war 07:50.760 --> 07:53.110 is going on already for seven months . 07:53.120 --> 07:56.730 Why it was not done before ? Thank you . 07:57.530 --> 07:59.870 First . We have all the of course 07:59.870 --> 08:02.610 started the dialogue with the industry 08:02.900 --> 08:05.280 and with the different allies on how to 08:05.280 --> 08:08.480 ramp up production and refill or 08:08.480 --> 08:11.150 replenish our stocks . We had a meeting 08:11.150 --> 08:13.570 of the NATO armed directors couple of 08:13.570 --> 08:17.530 weeks ago here in so this is an ongoing 08:17.530 --> 08:19.697 work . But when all the ministers meet 08:19.697 --> 08:21.808 tomorrow , of course that provides an 08:21.808 --> 08:23.974 excellent opportunity to take stock of 08:23.974 --> 08:26.310 what we have achieved . How far we have 08:26.320 --> 08:28.750 been able to move on ramping up 08:28.750 --> 08:31.530 production but also to make new 08:31.530 --> 08:34.980 decisions on how to further ensure that 08:34.980 --> 08:37.470 we are not only digging into existing 08:37.480 --> 08:39.536 stocks to provide support to Ukraine 08:39.536 --> 08:41.758 but actually able to ramp up production 08:41.758 --> 08:43.813 and we need to ramp up production of 08:43.813 --> 08:46.960 ammunitions and and weapons to both 08:46.970 --> 08:49.780 ensure that it turns on defense or our 08:49.790 --> 08:52.160 own allies , NATO allies but also to 08:52.160 --> 08:54.710 have enough to continue for the long 08:54.710 --> 08:57.050 haul to provide support to Ukraine . 08:57.060 --> 08:59.390 But just to prevent any 08:59.390 --> 09:01.446 misunderstanding . This work doesn't 09:01.446 --> 09:03.501 start now . It has been going on for 09:03.501 --> 09:05.557 some time . But of course the longer 09:05.557 --> 09:09.550 the war in Ukraine contain this work 09:09.560 --> 09:13.160 on with the industry becomes more and 09:13.160 --> 09:15.510 more important because then they need 09:15.720 --> 09:18.980 the decisions they need the defense 09:18.980 --> 09:22.670 planning process decisions capability 09:22.670 --> 09:24.781 targets to be sure that actually they 09:24.781 --> 09:26.892 can make the necessary investments to 09:26.892 --> 09:29.100 be able to produce to produce more . 09:29.340 --> 09:31.507 Then if the question was about how the 09:31.507 --> 09:33.562 attacks , yes , they will change the 09:33.562 --> 09:35.729 situation on the battlefield . I think 09:35.729 --> 09:37.729 what we saw yesterday is actually a 09:37.729 --> 09:39.951 sign of weakness because the reality is 09:39.951 --> 09:42.118 that they're not able to make progress 09:42.118 --> 09:44.340 on the battlefield . Russia is actually 09:44.340 --> 09:46.396 losing on the battlefield . They are 09:46.396 --> 09:48.562 giving up territory because they don't 09:48.562 --> 09:51.320 have the capabilities to 09:51.680 --> 09:54.720 stop the Ukrainian forces making 09:54.720 --> 09:57.110 advances . So the way they're able to 09:57.110 --> 10:00.160 then respond is by indiscriminate 10:00.170 --> 10:03.600 attacks on Ukrainian 10:03.600 --> 10:07.100 cities hitting civilians , critical 10:07.110 --> 10:10.160 infrastructure and of course this uh 10:10.170 --> 10:13.550 causes suffering damage on Ukraine . 10:13.560 --> 10:15.671 But in many ways it actually reflects 10:15.671 --> 10:17.980 the lack of alternatives for President 10:17.980 --> 10:20.750 Putin . They are losing ground . They 10:20.750 --> 10:22.972 had lost the momentum and then they had 10:22.972 --> 10:26.350 to revert to uh missile strikes and air 10:26.350 --> 10:28.600 strikes in the way we saw yesterday and 10:28.600 --> 10:32.450 actually also today . Um uh then 10:32.450 --> 10:33.728 the first question was 10:33.730 --> 10:38.360 uh 10:38.370 --> 10:42.360 well , well also Russia has conducted a 10:42.360 --> 10:44.650 similar attacks earlier in the war . We 10:44.650 --> 10:47.250 have seen of course there is some time 10:47.260 --> 10:49.204 since we have seen similar attacks 10:49.204 --> 10:51.371 against Kiev and some of the cities in 10:51.371 --> 10:53.650 the western part of the country . But 10:53.650 --> 10:56.290 we have seen attacks against cities in 10:56.290 --> 10:58.520 Carson in South Africa in other parts 10:58.530 --> 11:01.060 of Ukraine actually quite regularly . 11:01.070 --> 11:03.440 So they have these capabilities exactly 11:03.440 --> 11:06.195 when these attacks were where planned , 11:06.195 --> 11:08.306 I'm not going to . But the reality is 11:08.306 --> 11:10.362 that it doesn't change the nature of 11:10.362 --> 11:12.555 the attack . These are attacks against 11:12.565 --> 11:15.925 cities , civilians are killed , 11:15.935 --> 11:19.445 civilian infrastructure is targeted 11:19.655 --> 11:22.775 and this is unacceptable . And this is 11:22.785 --> 11:26.515 something which which goes against 11:26.515 --> 11:29.215 international law . Financial times , 11:32.960 --> 11:35.016 Henry Ford . Financial Times . Thank 11:35.016 --> 11:37.182 you so much for the question I want to 11:37.182 --> 11:39.293 ask about the nuclear exercises . Was 11:39.293 --> 11:41.490 there any discussion amongst the 30 11:41.490 --> 11:43.490 allies whether this was such a good 11:43.490 --> 11:45.780 idea to practice flying nuclear weapons 11:46.040 --> 11:49.130 around , given the heightened threats 11:49.130 --> 11:51.140 from Russia and the potential for 11:51.140 --> 11:53.196 miscalculation or misunderstanding . 11:53.196 --> 11:55.430 And secondly , will this year's 11:55.430 --> 11:58.000 exercise be different to previous years 11:58.000 --> 12:00.890 given the context , which of course is 12:00.890 --> 12:03.001 incredibly important here . I'm aware 12:03.001 --> 12:05.112 that it's an annual exercises routine 12:05.190 --> 12:07.357 that's all understood . But I'm asking 12:07.357 --> 12:09.190 about whether or not there was a 12:09.190 --> 12:11.246 discussion inside the alliance about 12:11.246 --> 12:13.468 whether now is really the right time to 12:13.468 --> 12:15.634 do this . Thank you . Now is the right 12:15.634 --> 12:18.450 time to be firm and to be clear that 12:18.460 --> 12:20.830 NATO is there to protect and defend all 12:20.830 --> 12:24.330 allies . And this is a long time 12:24.330 --> 12:26.219 planned exercise actually planned 12:26.219 --> 12:28.920 before the invasion of Ukraine , it's a 12:28.920 --> 12:31.150 routine exercise and it's an exercise 12:31.150 --> 12:33.640 to ensure that our nuclear deterrent 12:33.650 --> 12:37.360 remains safe and effective . I visited 12:37.370 --> 12:40.740 this exercise a few years ago , we have 12:40.740 --> 12:42.890 been open about the exercise and I 12:42.890 --> 12:46.340 think it would send a very wrong 12:46.340 --> 12:50.170 signal if we suddenly now canceled a 12:50.170 --> 12:53.190 routine longtime planned exercise 12:53.200 --> 12:55.256 because of the war in Ukraine . That 12:55.256 --> 12:57.478 would be absolutely the wrong signal to 12:57.478 --> 12:59.590 send . We need to understand that 13:00.750 --> 13:03.580 NATO's firm , 13:03.590 --> 13:06.840 predictable behavior . Our military 13:06.840 --> 13:10.430 strength is the best way to , to , to 13:10.440 --> 13:13.690 prevent escalation . We are there to 13:13.690 --> 13:15.940 preserve peace to prevent escalation 13:15.940 --> 13:18.107 and prevent any attack on aid to other 13:18.107 --> 13:21.780 countries . So , uh , if we now 13:22.710 --> 13:25.420 created grounds for any 13:25.430 --> 13:27.319 misunderstanding miscalculation , 13:27.319 --> 13:29.541 Moscow about our willingness to protect 13:29.541 --> 13:31.374 and defend all allies , we would 13:31.374 --> 13:34.440 increase the risk for escalation . And 13:34.440 --> 13:35.660 that's the last thing we will do .