NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg acknowledged this Tuesday that there is “concern” among the foreign ministers of the Atlantic Alliance regarding the situation in the Middle East. But, at a time when Israel and Hamas are taking a “pause” in the fighting, Stoltenberg hopes for a further extension of the calm period.
“I welcome the extension of the pause in hostilities between Israel and Hamas. This has allowed much-needed relief for the people of Gaza, the release of more hostages and the provision of more humanitarian aid,” Stoltenberg said.
“I hope that it will be possible to prolong this pause even more,” stressed the Secretary General of the Atlantic Alliance, recognizing that “the Ministers [dos Negócios Estrangeiros] They also expressed concern about the war in the Middle East.”
Before the meeting, in statements to Portuguese correspondents in Brussels, Minister João Gomes Cravinho revealed that there are still “six citizens of Portuguese nationality” held hostage by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and that the Government is in contact with entities on the ground. , “so that they may be set free.”
“We have already indicated this to the Red Cross, [e] to the entities as well, both from Israel and Egypt, Qatar is also aware, we are working for them and all the others to be released,” said the minister, hoping that the withdrawal of these six Portuguese from Gaza will be a success.
Gomes Cravinho also highlighted the idea that it will be necessary to prolong the pause in hostilities, recalling that this is also the clear expectation among “all Member States of the European Union”, that is, “that this situation, currently temporary, which requires a ceasefire – others prefer other terms such as truce – to be prolonged”.
“I think that more important than getting lost in semantic debates is, precisely, creating conditions so that there are no more bombings, no more hostilities and there is a process of dialogue,” highlighted the minister who spoke on the sidelines of the meeting. at NATO headquarters in Brussels.
Support for Ukraine
But, in a meeting that served to refocus NATO’s attention on support for Ukraine, Jens Stoltenberg highlighted the aid initiatives of different allies, considering that “in recent days we have seen important new announcements.”
“Germany promised 8 billion euros for next year and the Netherlands promised more than 2 billion euros; Romania opened an F 16 training center for Ukrainian pilots,” he exemplified, adding that “the allies, including the United States and Finland, are sending more air defense and ammunition, and 20 allies have created an air defense coalition for Ukraine.”
“All this helps save Ukrainian lives and sends a message to Russia that our support will not waver,” stressed Jens Stoltenberg.
Challenges
The ministers also discussed what NATO’s secretary general defines as the alliance’s “global challenges.” “NATO will continue to be a regional alliance in Europe and North America, but the challenges we face are global,” said Stoltenberg, convinced that NATO “needs to work more closely with its partners, also in the Indo-Pacific.” , to defend their values”. and their own interests.
China was highlighted in this agenda item. “China is not an adversary, and I appreciate that fact. Allies are collaborating with Beijing on issues of mutual interest. But at the same time, we must have a clear view of the impact of China’s coercive policies on our security,” stressed the Secretary NATO general.
Source: TSF
