NATO head Jens Stoltenberg's entire interview

FROM MOSCOW FOR US.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
LET'S GET MORE ON ALL OF THIS.
SECRETARY-GENERAL OF NATO
STOLTENBERG IS JOINING US HERE.
SECRETARY-GENERAL, THANK YOU FOR
JOINING US.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> YOU HAD A VERY EXTENSIVE DAY
OF TALKS WITH THE PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES.
WE SAW YOUR NEWS CONFERENCE.
FIRST OF ALL, HE NO LONGER
THINKS NATO IS OBSOLETE.
I ASSUME YOU ARE HAPPY ABOUT
THAT.
>> YES, I AM.
I THINK THAT REFLECT THE REALITY
THAT NATO IS ADAPTING WHEN THE
WORLD IS CHANGING.
WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CHANGE --
>> HE TOLD YOU, HE IS NOT HAPPY.
IT IS NOT MOVING AS QUICKLY AS
HE WOULD LIKE.
HE STILL UPSBET THAT, RIGHT?
>> I TOLD HIM ABOUT HE IS
PUSHING FOR MORE ADAP NATION
THAT NATO HAS TO CONTINUE TO
CHANGE ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES
TO STEPPING UP EFFORTS AND
FIGHTING INTERNATIONAL
TERRORISM.
WE DO BUT WE CAN DO MORE AND
ALSO IT COMES TO SHARING INSIDE
THE LINES AND MANY ALLIES HAVE
TO INVEST MORE IN DEFENSE.
>> LET'S START OFF NOW WITH
RUSSIA.
DO YOU BELIEVE RUSSIA KNEW THAT
SYRIA WAS GOING TO LAUNCH THE
CHEMICAL WEAPONS ATTACK AGAINST
THE CIVILIANS KILLING ALL THESE
CHILDREN?
I ASSUME YOU AGREE WITH THE
UNITED STATES THAT SYRIAN REGIME
OF BASHAR AL ASSAD WAS
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS CHEMICAL
WEAPONS ATTACK.
>> ANY USE OF CHEMICAL WEAPON
SAYS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.
WE HAVE SEEN THE SYRIAN REGIME
USE CHEMICAL WEAPONS AGAINST ITS
OWN POPULATION BEFORE.
AND I HAVE TRUST INTELLIGENCE
COMING FROM THE UNITED STATES.
THIS IS A U.S. OPERATION BASED
ON U.S. INTELLIGENCE.
BUT NATO ALLIES EXPRESSED
SUPPORT AND UNDERSTANDING
BECAUSE CHEMICAL WEAPONS --
>> DO 28 NATO ALLIES ALL AGREE
THAT BASHAR AL ASSAD'S REGIME
KILLED ALL THOSE CIVILIANES WITH
A CHEMICAL WEAPONS ATTACK?
>> THIS IS A U.S. OPERATION
BASED ON U.S. INTELLIGENCE.
BUT NATO ALLIES EXPRESSED
UNDERSTANDING AND ALSO
EXPRESSING STRONG SUPPORT.
>> AS AN ORGANIZATION, IS THERE
A CONSENSUS THAT SYRIANS DID IT?
>> NATO'S ALLIANCE IS NOT
PRESENT INSIDE SYRIA.
THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE WE HAVE IN
A WAY BUT ALL NATO ALLIES ARE
EFFECTIVE BECAUSE NATO ALLIES
ARE PARTICIPATING AND WE ARE
CONCERNED ABOUT THE SITUATION IN
SYRIA.
SO THEREFORE WE HAVE CONDEMNED
THE USE OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS BY
THE ASSAD REGIME BEFORE AND WE
HAVE EXPRESSED ALSO THAT WE NEED
A FACT-FINDING MISSION WHICH
ESTABLISHED TO SORT OF
ACTUALLY --
>> SO I KNOW NATO AS AN
ORGANIZATION IS NOT INVOLVED IN
THE HORRENDOUS HUMANITARIAN
CRISIS, THE SIX-YEAR WAR AND
HALF A A MILLION PEOPLE KILLED
AND MILLIONS HOMELESS.
NATO ISN'T INVOLVED IN
AFGHANISTAN BUT WHY ISN'T NATO
INVOLVED IN FIGHTING TERRORISM
IN SYRIA OR IRAQ?
>> NATO IS INVOLVED ALSO IN
SUPPORTING THE FIGHT AGAINST
TERRORISM IN BOTH SYRIA AND
IRAQ.
WE PROVIDE SUPPORT TO COALITION
FIGHTING ISIL.
WE HAVE PLANES HELPING OVER
SYRIA AND IRAQ.
AND TRAIN IRAQI OFFICERS TO HELP
THEM FIGHT INTERNATIONAL
TERRORISM.
>> WHAT IS NATO DOING IN SYRIA?
>> WE ARE HELPING WITH AIR
PICTURE, WITH THE AIR OPERATION
WITH OUR AWACS PLANES.
BUT ALL ALLIES PARTICIPATE IN
DIFFERENT WAYS.
>> THERE ARE ABOUT A YOU THIS
GROUND TROOPS IN SYRIA RIGHT
NOW.
HOW MANY OTHER NATO TROOPS ARE
IN SYRIA --
>> NATO ALLIES, UNITED STATES
AND UNITED KINGDOM AND SOME
OTHERS HAVE TRAINERS INSIDE
SYRIA BUT NATO ALLIANCE IS NOT
ON THE GROUND IN SYRIA.
WHAT WE DO IS DEPLOY SUPPORT
WITH OUR SURVEILLANCE --
>> YOU KNOW THE PRESIDENT
REPEATEDLY SAID PRESIDENT TRUMP
THAT HE IS UPSET WITH NATO
BECAUSE NATO AS AN ORGANIZATION
IS NOT DOING ENOUGH TO FIGHT
TERROR.
DID HE SAY THAT TO YOU TODAY?
>> HE SAID THAT HE WOULD LIKE
NATO TO DO MORE AND I TOTALLY
AGREE WITH HIM.
NATO PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN
AFGHANISTAN AND THE REASON WHY
WE ARE IN AFGHANISTAN IS TO
FIGHT IN NATIONAL TERRORISM.
HAVE A SAFE HAVEN IN TERRORISM.
THEN WE ARE PRESENT IN IRAQ AND
WE ARE SCALING UP TRAINING
ACTIVITIES THERE.
I AGREE THE BEST WAY TO FIGHT
TERRORISM IS TO ENABLE LOCAL
FORCES TO FIGHT TERRORISM
THEMSELVES AND WE ARE IN THE
WIDER MIDDLE EAST REGION HELPING
PARTNERS LIKE JORDAN TO
STABILIZE THE COUNTRY AND TO
FIGHT TERRORISM.
THEN WE HELP ALSO WITH THE AIR
OPERATIONS OVER SYRIA WITH OUR
AWACS PLANES.
I BELIEVE NATO CAN DO MORE AND
THAT'S WHAT WE ARE LOOKING INTO.
>> IS THERE A NEW COLD WAR
BETWEEN THE U.S. AND RUSSIA?
>> IT'S NOT A NEW COLD WAR BUT
WE HAVE SEEN INCREASED TENSIONS
AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
NATO AND RUSSIA HAS BEEN WORSE
FOR MANY YEARS.
AND FOR ME, THAT JUST UNDERLINES
THE IMPORTANCE OF WHAT WE CALL
DUAL APPROACH FOR NATO.
WE NEED TO HAVE STRONGER FENCE
CREDIBLE DETERRENCE COMBINED
WITH RUSSIA.
RUSSIA IS OUR BIGGEST NEIGHBOR.
RUSSIA IS HERE TO STAY.
WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO MANAGE
A RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM AND HOW
TO AVOID THE NEW COLD WAR AND
ARMS RACE AND THEREFORE WHAT
NATO DOES IS --
>> BUT THE PRESIDENT, PRESIDENT
TRUMP SAYS THERE IS FEAR IN
EUROPE.
FEAR AMONG NATO ALLIANCE AMONG
NATO ALLIES OF RUSSIA RIGHT NOW.
IS THAT FEAR JUSTIFIED?
>> WE DON'T SEE ANY IMMINENT
THREAT AGAINST ANY NATO ALLY
COUNTRY.
BUT WE SEE MORE IN RUSSIA WHICH
HAS USED MILITARY FORCE AGAINST
THE EUROPEAN NEIGHBOR, UKRAINE.
AND WHICH IS USING HYBRID
WARFARE, CYBERATTACKS, TO
INTIMIDATE ALSO NATO ALLY
COUNTRIES.
AND THEREFORE WE ARE STEPPING UP
OUR COLLECTIVE DEFENSE AND WE
HAVE THE BIGGEST REINFORCEMENT
COLLECTIVE DEFENSE IN THE COLD
WAR AND AT LEAST WE ARE WORKING
ON, FOR INSTANCE, CYBER OWE
FENS.
>> THE WHOLE ALLIANCE IS BUILT
UNDER THE ASSUMPTION YOU KNOW,
SECRETARY-GENERAL, IF ONE NATO
ALLY IS ATTACKED, IT IS AN
ATTACK ON ALL NATO ALLIES.
IS THAT STILL APPLICABLE NOW IF
RUSSIANS FOR EXAMPLE WERE TO
TAKE STEPS AGAINST ONE OF THE
NATO ALLIES CLOSEST TO RUSSIA
WITH ALL OF THE OTHER NATO
ALLIES INCLUDING U.S. AND CANADA
AND BRITAIN AND EVERYONE ELSE
RESPOND IMMEDIATELY?
>> YES.
THAT'S THE CORE RESPONSIBILITY.
BASED ON ONE FOR ALL AND ALL FOR
ONE.
>> SO WHAT'S YOUR MESSAGE IT
PUTIN?
THERE IS A LOT OF FEAR ON THE
ALLIANCES CLOSER TO RUSSIA AND
PUTIN COULD TAKE STEPS AS HE DID
WITH UKRAINE, TAKE STEPS THAT
WOULD BE RATHER PROVOCATIVE?
>> WELL, UKRAINE IS NOT A MEMBER
OF NATO.
WE PROVIDE SUPPORT BUT UKRAINE
IS NOT NATO SECURITY GUARANTEE.
>> CORRECT.
>> SO POLAND, OTHER EASTERN --
>> A LOT OF NERVOUSNESS IN
POLAND RIGHT NOW.
>> YES.
BUT IT IS IMPORTANT NOW TO REACT
IN A MEASURED AND RESPONSIBLE
WAY.
WE SEE INCREASED TENSIONS AND
SEE MORE AGGRESSIVE RUSSIA BUT
WE DON'T SEE ANY IMMINENT THREAT
FOR MILITARY ATTACK AGAINST ANY
NATO ALLY COUNTRY.
NATO IS STRONG AND NATO HAS
INCREASED OUR MILITARY PRESENCE
IN EASTERN PART OF ALLIANCE.
WITH U.S. TROOPS WITH CANADIAN
TROOPS AND GERMAN TROOPS AND
TROOPS ON THE UNITED KINGDOM.
SO WE ARE INCREASING PRESENCE TO
SEND THE SIGNAL OR --
>> I KNOW IN BALTIC STATES,
THERE'S A LOT OF TENSION AND
NERVOUSNESS.
DO YOU BELIEVE UKRAINE SHOULD BE
A MEMBER OF NATO?
>> THAT'S FOR UKRAINE TO DECIDE
WHETHER THEY WANT TO APPLY.
THEN FOR NATO TO DECIDE WHETHER
UKRAINE QUALIFY.
THEY ARE NOW FOCUSED ON
REFORMING THEIR DEFENSE
SECRETARY TO MEET AND LATER
DECIDE ON WHETHER THEY WILL
APPLY FOR MEMBERSHIP.
>>> THE UNITED STATES NEEDS TO
RETHINK.
>> YES, THEY NEED MORE MONEY.
WE ARE PAYING
DISPROPORTIONATELY.
IT'S TOO MUCH AND FRANKLY IT IS
A DIFFERENT WORLD THAN WHEN WE
ORIGINALLY CONCEIVED OF THE IDEA
AND EVERYBODY GOT TOGETHER.
WE ARE TAKING CARE OF, AS AN
EXAM
EXAMPLE, THE U CRKRAINE.
AND WE ARE TAKING THE BRUNT OF
IT.
MAYBE WE HAVE TO PAY LESS
TOWARDS NATO ITSELF.
>> TODAY THE PRESIDENT SAID HE
NO LONGER BELIEVES NATO IS
OBSOLETE.
DID YOU ASK HIM AT THE WHITE
HOUSE TO MAKE THAT STATEMENT?
>> I DIDN'T ASK HIM.
WE DISCUSSED HOW JOEY IS
ADAPTING, IS RESPONDING AND
CHANGING BECAUSE THE WORLD IS
CHANGING AND NATO IS THE MOST
SUCCESSFUL ALLIANCE IN HISTORY
BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
CHANGE WHEN THE WORLD IS
CHANGING.
BUT I AGREE WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP
THAT EUROPEAN ALLIES HAVE TO
INVEST MORE IN OUR COLLECTIVE
DEFENSE.
>> SECRETARY-GENERAL, WHEN HE
CALLED --
>> WELL, HE HAS SAID THAT DURING
ELECTION CAMPAIGN I WAS, I KNEW
WELL THAT NATO HAS RESPONDED,
HAS PROVEN THAT WE ARE NOT
OBSOLETE BY CHANGING THE WAY WE
RESPOND TO A CHANGING WORLD.
>> HE SAID IT ALSO AFTER HE WAS
ELECTED, BEFORE HE TOOK OFFICE.
>> THE IMPORTANT THING FOR ME IS
IMPORTANT THAT HE STATED TODAY
IN THE REGARD NATO IS OBSOLETE.
BUT SECOND IT IS GOOD HE HAS
BEEN FOCUSED ON HOW NATO CAN
CHANGE AND ADAPT AND RESPOND TO
DIFFERENT SECURITY.
>> DO YOU TRUST HIM?
>> I WELCOME HIS VERY STRONG
MESSAGE ON DEFENSE SPENDING, ON
BURDEN SHARING, AND ON NATO'S
ROLE IN FIGHTING TERRORISM THAT
WE HAVE TO STEP UP AND DO MORE
AND THESE ARE ISSUES WE
DISCUSSED TODAY.
>> DO YOU TRUST HIM?
>> I TRUST HIS STRONG COMMITMENT
TO NATO, OF COURSE.
HE HAS SHOWN NOT ONLY IN WORDS
BUT ALSO IN DEEDS, U.S.
INCREASING MILITARY PRESENCE IN
EUROPE FOR THE FIRST TIME FOR
MANY, MANY YEARS.
AND HE HAS EXPRESSED VERY STRONG
SUPPORT FOR NATO.
THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR EUROPE AND
ALSO FOR THE UNITED STATES.
AND IN A MORE UNPREDICTABLE
WORLD, U.S. NEEDS FRIENDS AND
ALLIES AND IN NATO, UNITED
STATES GETS THE BEST FRIENDS AND
BEST ALLIES.
THIS IS A BIG ADVANTAGE
STRATEGIC ADVANTAGE FOR THE
UNITED STATES.
THAT THEY HAVE FRIENDS AND
ALLIES LIKE THEY HAVE IN NATO.
>> DO YOU TRUST THEM AS A
LEADER?
>> I TRUST THEM AS LEADER
BECAUSE HE WAS ELECTED BY THE
PEOPLE OF AMERICA, ELECTED BY A
DEMOCRATIC PROCESS IN A NATO
COUNTRY.
AN IMPORTANT PART OF NATO IS
THAT WE ARE 28 DEMOCRACIES AND
DEMOCRACIES, ELECT DIFFERENT
PEOPLES.
DIFFERENT PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT
VIEWS, DIFFERENT POSITIONS.
BUT THE STRENGTH OF NATO IS THAT
WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO
AG
AGREE THAT WE PROTECT EACH OTHER
AND WE STAND TOGETHER AND WE ARE
STRONGER TOGETHER.
>> THE ONLY TIME NATO BANDED
TOGETHER AND ACTED WITH THE
SELF-DEFENSE CLAWS IS AFTER 9/11
A
--
-CLAUSE IS AFTER 9/11.
SINCE THEN IT HASN'T.
>> WE SEND TO ANY POTENTIAL
ADVERSARY.
WE HAVEN'T BEEN ATTACKED.
SO THE SUCCESS OF NATO IS THAT
WE HAVEN'T BEEN ATTACKED.
THEN WITH WE HAD 9/11.
THE FIRST AND SO FAR ONLY TIME
WE HAVE COLLECTIVE DEFENSE
CLAUSE.
AND IN AFGHANISTAN FIGHTING
SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH U.S.
SOLDIERS AND THOUSANDS HAVE PAID
THE PRICE.
THIS SHOWS THAT NATO IS THERE
ALSO TO HELP AND PROTECT UNITED
STATES.
BECAUSE WE ENVOC ARTICLE 5 AFTER
AN ATTACK ON THE UNITED STATES.

NATO head Jens Stoltenberg's entire interview

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