WEBVTT 00:04.500 --> 00:06.940 I feel this is an existential moment . 00:06.949 --> 00:10.739 So what we do or don't do will change 00:10.750 --> 00:13.159 the face of the world for generations 00:13.170 --> 00:16.819 to come . Russia has 00:16.829 --> 00:19.620 attacked Ukraine . Peace on our 00:19.629 --> 00:21.790 continent has been shattered . We now 00:21.799 --> 00:25.270 have war in Europe on a scale we 00:25.280 --> 00:26.947 thought belonged to history . 00:28.469 --> 00:31.920 911 changed , everything changed 00:31.930 --> 00:35.040 everything and it proved that the 00:35.049 --> 00:37.959 existence of NATO needed to continue . 00:40.090 --> 00:43.430 There is a responsibility to protect 00:43.439 --> 00:46.270 and I think that showed certainly in 00:46.279 --> 00:48.650 the Western Balkans the importance of 00:48.659 --> 00:52.580 concerted international action . When 00:52.590 --> 00:54.646 the wall came down , it was the most 00:54.646 --> 00:56.700 tangible proof of the division of 00:56.709 --> 00:59.409 Europe was gonna finish . It was gonna 00:59.419 --> 01:02.909 end . It's really fantastic for 01:02.919 --> 01:05.480 everyone that these absolutely 01:05.489 --> 01:08.000 milestone changes occurred . And we can 01:08.010 --> 01:11.440 now say that Europe is a free part of 01:11.449 --> 01:12.449 the world . 01:25.650 --> 01:27.817 I think it's important to look back at 01:27.817 --> 01:30.550 the past to understand how we've got to 01:30.559 --> 01:33.910 where we are today to develop the most 01:33.919 --> 01:36.580 successful strategies moving forward . 01:37.430 --> 01:39.541 If we stand . United Europe and North 01:39.541 --> 01:42.010 America , we can face every challenge 01:42.019 --> 01:45.910 as we have done over the past 75 years . 02:03.129 --> 02:05.949 The other half of the Walnut as 02:05.959 --> 02:08.181 President Truman described , it was the 02:08.181 --> 02:11.520 security side and the promise from the 02:11.529 --> 02:14.119 United States at that time that it 02:14.130 --> 02:16.720 would intervene in the event of a 02:16.759 --> 02:18.970 European war . So we wouldn't see a 02:18.979 --> 02:22.880 return to uh us isolationism as we 02:22.889 --> 02:25.919 had in the wake of uh World War one . 02:39.520 --> 02:41.742 The treaty we are signing here today is 02:41.742 --> 02:44.419 evidence of the path they will follow . 02:44.929 --> 02:46.929 It is the will of the people of the 02:46.929 --> 02:50.169 world for freedom and for peace . It 02:50.179 --> 02:53.139 was extraordinarily important , the 02:53.149 --> 02:55.979 creation of the alliance and has been 02:55.990 --> 02:58.779 since then because it's the only 02:58.789 --> 03:02.009 organization that offers hope that 03:02.020 --> 03:05.850 peace can become a real possibility , 03:06.220 --> 03:09.809 not just regionally but more far 03:09.830 --> 03:10.997 reaching than that . 03:25.649 --> 03:28.179 There were Soviet troops across central 03:28.190 --> 03:30.190 and eastern Europe . So they didn't 03:30.190 --> 03:32.610 really have a choice in joining this 03:32.619 --> 03:35.410 alliance . It was nothing like NATO 03:35.419 --> 03:38.449 which had been formed years before with 03:38.460 --> 03:40.770 democracies choosing to join . 03:49.699 --> 03:51.755 But I think what's key here with the 03:51.755 --> 03:54.449 Berlin Wall and what Churchill dubbed 03:54.460 --> 03:57.000 the Iron Curtain is actually how little 03:57.009 --> 04:00.330 contact there was for so many 04:00.339 --> 04:03.910 years between eastern and western 04:03.970 --> 04:06.160 Europe and people growing up on both 04:06.169 --> 04:08.058 sides of the Iron Curtain had the 04:08.058 --> 04:11.839 threat of mutually assured destruction . 04:23.410 --> 04:25.109 We will not prematurely or 04:25.119 --> 04:28.130 unnecessarily risk the cause of 04:28.140 --> 04:31.000 worldwide nuclear war in which even the 04:31.010 --> 04:33.232 fruits of victory would be ashes in our 04:33.232 --> 04:35.510 mouth . But neither will we shrink from 04:35.519 --> 04:38.309 that risk at any time . It must be fate . 04:38.730 --> 04:40.786 People look at the Cold War and they 04:40.786 --> 04:43.089 assume that nothing happened but it was 04:43.100 --> 04:45.320 static but it wasn't static . It was a 04:45.329 --> 04:48.649 continuous um discussion of uh 04:48.660 --> 04:50.827 security issues and the best ways that 04:50.827 --> 04:52.882 allies should address these security 04:52.882 --> 04:56.350 issues . Communist Romania was the most 04:56.359 --> 04:59.339 repressive country in the Soviet bloc . 04:59.390 --> 05:01.829 We had very little to eat . We had no 05:01.839 --> 05:05.019 heating . Uh we had uh no hot water . I 05:05.029 --> 05:07.049 grew up listening to foreign radio 05:07.059 --> 05:09.230 stations like the BBC Deutsche , 05:09.899 --> 05:12.420 literally under the bed covers for fear 05:12.429 --> 05:14.485 that my neighbors would report me to 05:14.485 --> 05:16.779 the dreaded Sekur , the secret police . 05:17.089 --> 05:21.040 So for me and for my family , NATO was 05:21.049 --> 05:24.600 actually always a beacon of light of 05:24.609 --> 05:25.239 hope . 05:31.170 --> 05:34.679 I spent 2.5 years commanding a company 05:34.690 --> 05:38.380 on the inter German border in 1973 . As 05:38.390 --> 05:41.350 a captain , I took my company to see 05:41.359 --> 05:43.600 the Berlin Wall and we went into East 05:43.609 --> 05:45.609 Berlin through checkpoint Charlie . 05:45.769 --> 05:48.859 Those under Soviet control were 05:49.209 --> 05:51.959 very somber . When the wall came down , 05:51.970 --> 05:55.440 it was a uh huge , huge 05:55.549 --> 05:59.350 event . Peace had a chance . Peace 05:59.660 --> 06:02.100 really had a chance . Those were 06:03.100 --> 06:06.950 dramatic and amazing moments just to 06:06.959 --> 06:10.929 see uh the happiness uh that 06:10.940 --> 06:13.910 freedom can , can bring to people . 06:33.450 --> 06:36.779 I was born in 1967 that was still the 06:36.829 --> 06:39.899 the communist time uh in Hungary . So 06:39.910 --> 06:42.279 when I got to university , that was the 06:42.290 --> 06:44.410 time when in fact , our first three 06:44.420 --> 06:47.339 elections took place . And uh and all 06:47.350 --> 06:49.294 of a sudden there was quite a huge 06:49.294 --> 06:51.614 change afterwards and the change that 06:51.625 --> 06:53.825 we did not imagine when I was , for 06:53.834 --> 06:56.001 example , six years old , certainly my 06:56.001 --> 06:58.001 parents were not even thinking that 06:58.001 --> 06:59.945 this could happen . So we are very 06:59.945 --> 07:03.214 proud that we managed to get into and 07:03.225 --> 07:04.669 into the European Union . 07:09.529 --> 07:13.010 I was a reporter in 1991 when the war 07:13.019 --> 07:15.269 broke out . Uh So I started reporting 07:15.279 --> 07:18.119 from Yugoslavia when it was Yugoslavia , 07:31.109 --> 07:33.230 the NATO Secretary General in the 19 07:33.239 --> 07:36.209 nineties , Manfred Werner was really 07:36.220 --> 07:38.769 committed to NATO doing what it could 07:39.010 --> 07:42.489 to intervene and to halt the conflict . 07:42.500 --> 07:44.667 And Manfred Werner came literally from 07:44.667 --> 07:47.630 his deathbed to uh chair meetings of 07:47.640 --> 07:50.049 the North Atlantic Council in which he 07:50.059 --> 07:53.640 was arguing for a more robust NATO 07:53.649 --> 07:55.760 intervention which eventually came in 07:55.760 --> 07:59.609 1995 . NATO has been asked to Irk 08:01.850 --> 08:03.299 NATO will act . 08:06.399 --> 08:08.455 Our objective is to protect the safe 08:08.455 --> 08:11.589 areas against attacks so that the world 08:11.600 --> 08:15.209 safe really means what he 08:15.220 --> 08:17.470 says , safe . 08:25.660 --> 08:28.809 The NATO operation was the key to 08:28.820 --> 08:31.369 ending the Bosnian War in Bosnia and 08:31.380 --> 08:32.440 Herzegovina . 08:50.789 --> 08:53.739 We must stop the violence and bring an 08:53.750 --> 08:56.169 end to the humanitarian catastrophe . 08:56.179 --> 08:57.650 Now taking place in Kos , 09:07.619 --> 09:11.570 that was a very clear response um 09:12.030 --> 09:15.450 to avoid ethnic cleansing in Kosovo . 09:15.460 --> 09:18.809 So there is a responsibility to , to 09:18.820 --> 09:21.929 protect and I think that showed 09:21.940 --> 09:24.010 certainly in the Western Balkans the 09:24.020 --> 09:26.690 importance of concerted international 09:26.700 --> 09:28.729 action at an early stage . 09:53.289 --> 09:56.789 NATO has provided for the past 25 09:56.799 --> 09:59.390 years , an important presence which 09:59.400 --> 10:02.710 contributes to the conditions 10:02.719 --> 10:05.299 for a peace process . To take place 10:05.309 --> 10:08.000 firstly in Bosnia and Herzegovina , but 10:08.010 --> 10:10.260 then subsequently also in Kosovo . 10:10.280 --> 10:13.630 After a far greater intervention in 10:13.640 --> 10:14.849 1999 10:26.169 --> 10:29.510 we had the accession of the first three , 10:29.580 --> 10:31.913 the former communist countries , Poland , 10:31.913 --> 10:34.080 the Czech Republic and Hungary joining 10:34.080 --> 10:36.919 in 1999 . And then in 10:36.929 --> 10:40.679 2004 , 7 more countries joined in what 10:40.690 --> 10:43.869 was known as the Big Bang accession and 10:44.000 --> 10:47.190 being there and watching the flags of 10:47.200 --> 10:49.311 Romania . But all the other countries 10:49.311 --> 10:51.144 that joined at the same time was 10:51.144 --> 10:53.089 probably one of the most emotional 10:53.089 --> 10:55.859 moments in my life . These were 10:55.869 --> 10:58.650 countries that were part of the 10:58.659 --> 11:00.659 European , the Euro Atlantic family 11:00.659 --> 11:04.150 that had been kept apart for so many 11:04.159 --> 11:07.299 decades who are now coming home . The 11:07.309 --> 11:10.530 countries who wished to join NATO after 11:10.539 --> 11:13.750 the Cold War were those countries who 11:13.760 --> 11:17.479 believed they had had their sovereignty 11:17.489 --> 11:19.760 taken away from them and they would 11:19.770 --> 11:23.530 look to NATO as a guarantor to protect 11:23.539 --> 11:25.650 them so that they would maintain that 11:25.650 --> 11:27.669 sovereignty uh in the future . 11:34.140 --> 11:37.710 I was here in headquarters and all of a 11:37.719 --> 11:40.440 sudden they were called to the office 11:40.450 --> 11:42.770 of the permanent representative because 11:42.919 --> 11:45.260 he was looking at the television and 11:45.270 --> 11:47.750 seeing the twin towers going down . It 11:47.760 --> 11:50.159 was a moment where we could not believe 11:50.169 --> 11:50.940 our eyes . 11:55.010 --> 11:58.020 I came to the old NATO headquarters and 11:58.030 --> 12:00.150 I remember looking up and there was a 12:00.159 --> 12:02.400 plane uh because of course , we're very 12:02.409 --> 12:04.369 close to Brussels airport . And I 12:04.380 --> 12:06.436 thought , yeah , you know , this can 12:06.436 --> 12:08.380 also be a target , but it's also a 12:08.380 --> 12:11.059 source of strength . NATO solidarity 12:11.070 --> 12:13.229 remains the essence of our alliance . 12:13.840 --> 12:16.062 Our message to the people of the United 12:16.062 --> 12:19.349 States is that we are with you . 12:19.989 --> 12:22.099 Our message to those who perpetrated 12:22.109 --> 12:24.450 these unspeakable crimes is equally 12:24.460 --> 12:27.419 clear , you will not get away with it . 12:27.739 --> 12:31.530 There was a remarkable galvanization uh 12:31.539 --> 12:34.859 of support behind the United States . 12:34.869 --> 12:36.925 The allies stood up and stood around 12:36.925 --> 12:38.980 the United States at that particular 12:38.980 --> 12:41.036 time and that was very significant . 12:41.440 --> 12:45.429 That was a really a huge wake 12:45.440 --> 12:48.510 up call that business as usual , 12:48.520 --> 12:51.289 obviously wasn't going to continue . If 12:51.299 --> 12:53.919 it is determined that this attack was 12:53.929 --> 12:56.349 directed from abroad against the United 12:56.359 --> 12:58.979 States . It shall be regarded as an 12:58.989 --> 13:01.700 action covered by article five of the 13:01.710 --> 13:05.260 Washington Treaty . I was elated 13:05.270 --> 13:08.500 like other Americans that the alliance 13:08.510 --> 13:12.340 voted unanimously to apply . 13:12.479 --> 13:15.799 Article five , that was very meaningful 13:15.809 --> 13:16.489 to us . 13:39.010 --> 13:41.739 There has been no other terrorist 13:41.750 --> 13:44.650 attack on our nations from Afghanistan . 13:44.840 --> 13:47.559 That security objective was achieved 13:47.739 --> 13:51.489 the mission morphed into something 13:51.500 --> 13:54.960 closer to democracy building . And I 13:54.969 --> 13:58.549 think we were not able to achieve that 13:58.559 --> 14:01.280 goal . And I think we've also learned a 14:01.460 --> 14:03.690 lot from that mission . 14:15.950 --> 14:16.950 Do anything 14:25.479 --> 14:28.830 NATO allies stand behind the legitimate 14:28.840 --> 14:31.299 aspirations of the Libyan people for 14:31.309 --> 14:34.419 freedom , democracy and human rights . 14:41.580 --> 14:42.580 Right ? In that 14:50.369 --> 14:51.510 one year , we 14:55.719 --> 14:56.719 talk to you , 15:07.890 --> 15:10.270 I remember being at NATO headquarters 15:10.280 --> 15:13.229 practically all the time . It was very 15:13.239 --> 15:16.669 intense discussions . How do we know 15:16.679 --> 15:20.390 that those little green men in 15:20.400 --> 15:22.567 uniforms without insignia are actually 15:22.567 --> 15:24.989 Russian soldiers . But for the first 15:25.000 --> 15:27.440 time , we started using satellite 15:27.450 --> 15:30.409 imagery much more deliberately , we 15:30.419 --> 15:33.710 were exposing Russia's plans , Russia's 15:33.719 --> 15:36.150 intentions and Russia's actions on the 15:36.159 --> 15:37.159 ground . 15:44.880 --> 15:47.640 If the Russian leadership stays on its 15:47.650 --> 15:51.150 current course , together , we will 15:51.159 --> 15:53.210 ensure that this isolation deepens 15:54.609 --> 15:57.400 sanctions will expand and the toll on 15:57.409 --> 15:59.340 Russia's economy as well as its 15:59.349 --> 16:02.039 standing in the world will only 16:02.049 --> 16:03.049 increase . 16:11.979 --> 16:15.809 It was a clear signal that we 16:15.820 --> 16:18.369 could defend all allies against Russian 16:18.380 --> 16:19.380 aggression . 16:31.489 --> 16:33.770 We are at the grave moment for the 16:33.780 --> 16:35.830 security of Europe . Russia is 16:35.840 --> 16:37.969 attempting to turn back the clock by 16:37.979 --> 16:40.989 force to re establish a swear of 16:41.000 --> 16:43.690 influence and to undermine the global 16:43.700 --> 16:45.756 rules that have kept Europe safe for 16:45.756 --> 16:49.530 decades . When somebody from here asked 16:49.539 --> 16:52.690 me , will Russia attack Ukraine ? My 16:52.700 --> 16:54.922 answer was no , that's not possible . I 16:54.922 --> 16:56.756 mean , they cannot be this short 16:56.756 --> 16:58.700 sighted for sure not , this is not 16:58.700 --> 17:00.589 going to happen . And I could not 17:00.589 --> 17:03.159 believe that in the 21st century , 17:03.169 --> 17:05.660 there would be a war like that . We 17:05.670 --> 17:08.780 knew what Russia intended to do , we 17:08.790 --> 17:12.140 could see them amassing their troops . 17:12.150 --> 17:14.459 So it was clear that an invasion was 17:14.469 --> 17:18.430 imminent , was prepared to defend 17:18.439 --> 17:21.459 all allies to send a very clear message 17:21.630 --> 17:24.859 that we would defend every ally and 17:24.869 --> 17:26.758 that we would continue to support 17:26.758 --> 17:30.439 Ukraine allies which were once part of 17:30.449 --> 17:32.560 the Soviet Union and the allies which 17:32.560 --> 17:35.030 were once Warsaw Pact countries are 17:35.040 --> 17:37.810 understandably terrified at the 17:37.819 --> 17:39.875 prospect of a resurgent Russia . And 17:39.875 --> 17:42.097 this was obviously the reason that they 17:42.097 --> 17:45.300 were so eager to join for protection 17:45.310 --> 17:48.969 against the kind of existential threat 17:48.979 --> 17:51.920 that Ukraine is now facing 18:00.010 --> 18:02.890 to see the flag of Finland and Sweden 18:03.130 --> 18:06.680 raised outside headquarters was an 18:06.689 --> 18:10.520 amazing moment . It showed that 18:10.640 --> 18:14.319 countries have the right to choose 18:14.609 --> 18:18.109 that's door remains open . 18:18.329 --> 18:21.750 And that Putin has achieved a 18:21.760 --> 18:25.109 strategic failure because if he wanted 18:25.119 --> 18:28.979 to have less , he has more . 18:45.229 --> 18:48.989 For me joining NATO was 18:49.000 --> 18:52.979 not uh career step , it was a 18:52.989 --> 18:56.760 mission . And even if I'm retired now 18:56.829 --> 19:00.189 from NATO , it remains a cornerstone 19:00.199 --> 19:04.180 of , of why once you become a 19:04.199 --> 19:06.959 member of this alliance , you 19:06.969 --> 19:09.369 immediately feel the gravitas of that . 19:09.920 --> 19:11.864 And you know , that's what NATO is 19:11.864 --> 19:14.031 about . So if one ally is threatened , 19:14.031 --> 19:16.150 then everybody is making sure we are 19:16.160 --> 19:18.839 helping that ally and one for all all , 19:18.849 --> 19:22.060 for one above all , it is a forum 19:22.069 --> 19:25.729 for uh debating security issues and 19:25.739 --> 19:29.060 building consensus among allies . This 19:29.069 --> 19:32.050 alliance is strong . This alliance 19:32.060 --> 19:34.227 consists of countries that have worked 19:34.227 --> 19:37.329 together for decades . That's what NATO 19:37.339 --> 19:39.290 is more than anything .