Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
  The Secretary General of NATO, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg, and the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mr. Mark Rutte, will host a working dinner for NATO Heads of State and Government in Kachois, The Hague.
Guests will include the prime ministers of Albania, Belgium and Norway, and the presidents of Lithuania, Poland and Romania.
The dinner will be part of the preparations for the NATO summit in Vilnius on July 11-12, 2023. The discussions will cover Russia's war against Ukraine and other security issues.
According to a statement issued by NATO headquarters in Brussels before the dinner, Mr. Stoltenberg and Mr. Rutte will meet in The Hague with the Dutch Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defense.
The alliance said in another statement that the Secretary General of NATO, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg, will travel tomorrow, Wednesday, to Paris to meet with the President of the French Republic, Mr. Emmanuel Macron. The Secretary General of NATO and the French President will make two joint press statements before their meeting.
On Wednesday, June 28, 2023, Stoltenberg will also receive the Prime Minister of the Republic of Estonia, Mrs. Kaja Klass, at NATO headquarters. They will hold a joint press conference after their meeting.
On Thursday, June 29, 2023, the Secretary General of NATO, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg, will receive the Prime Minister of Bulgaria, Mr. Nikolay Denkov, at NATO Headquarters. They will hold a joint press conference after their meeting
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and President of Lithuania Gitanas Nowzoda met yesterday
A few days ago, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg met with German Chancellor Olaf Schultz in Berlin, specifically on Monday (June 19, 2023), in order to prepare for the next NATO summit in Vilnius.
The two leaders discussed supporting Ukraine as it continues its counter-attack against the Russian occupation forces. “The more territory Ukrainians can liberate, the stronger their hand will ultimately be at the negotiating table,” Mr. Stoltenberg said, adding: “We all want this war to end, but a just peace does not mean freezing the conflict and accepting a deal dictated by Russia.” He further praised Germany for its leading role in providing military, financial, and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, and for the recent decision to deliver more Patriot missiles. The Secretary-General said the allies will address Ukraine's membership aspirations at the Vilnius Summit, noting that the allies are working on a multi-year package of assistance to Ukraine, and are working to establish a new NATO-Ukraine Council to jointly consult on security issues of common concern.
Secretary General Stoltenberg and Chancellor Schultz also spoke about strengthening NATO's deterrence and defense. “We are now developing new regional plans, with allocations of forces and capabilities, and high levels of readiness,” said the Secretary-General, welcoming that Germany will play a key role in this effort. Mr. Stoltenberg also welcomed Germany's first National Security Strategy, which underscores a strong commitment to NATO, and Berlin's leadership in establishing a new NATO Maritime Center for the security of critical subsea infrastructure. On defense investment, the Secretary-General said: “At the NATO Summit in Vilnius, we will agree to an even more ambitious defense investment pledge, with 2 percent of GDP as a floor rather than a ceiling. I very much welcome Germany’s historic commitment to reach 2 percent in 2024.”