NATO Secretary General with the Prime Minister of Slovenia 🇸🇮 Robert Golob, 21
Prime Minister Golob,
Dear Robert,
Welcome to NATO Headquarters.
It’s great to see you again.
We just finished a very productive meeting addressing a wide range of issues related to our shared security.
This month we mark the 20th anniversary of Slovenia’s accession to NATO.
NATO’s open door has helped to spread freedom and democracy throughout Europe.
And for two decades, you have stood with Allies, united and fully committed to our collective security.
So I commend you for your many contributions to NATO’s collective defence and to our shared security.
You are supporting NATO’s peacekeeping mission in Kosovo.
You have deployed troops to our battlegroups in Latvia and Slovakia.
And Slovenia, as a non-permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, you are showing your leadership in support of global peace and security.
At this critical time, we all need to invest more in our security.
So I welcome the steps Slovenia has taken to increase defence spending.
As Slovenia stands with NATO,
NATO stands with Slovenia.
Italian and Hungarian jets guard your skies.
And NATO Allies sent urgent aid to help Slovenia after last year’s floods, helping save lives.
Today in our meeting, we addressed Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Despite major losses, President Putin has not given up his war aims.
The situation on the battlefield remains very difficult.
Ukraine is running out of ammunition.
So Ukraine needs even more support.
And they need it now.
I welcome the contributions that Slovenia has already made.
Including humanitarian and security assistance.
And welcoming Ukrainian refugees.
Today, we also discussed the situation in the Western Balkans.
A region of strategic importance in our shared European neighbourhood, and of strategic importance for NATO.
Last year’s outbreaks of violence in Kosovo were unacceptable.
And NATO responded swiftly, deploying 1,000 extra troops.
We are committed to ensuring that KFOR continues to fulfil its UN mandate.
We also spoke about Bosnia-Herzegovina.
NATO strongly supports the country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
All political leaders must work to preserve unity.
Separatist rhetoric is irresponsible and dangerous.
Finally, we also discussed the preparations for the NATO Summit in July.
In Washington, we will take further steps to resource our defence plans,
bolster our support to Ukraine,
and deepen our partnerships around the world.
So Prime Minister,
Thank you again for our excellent cooperation,
For your strong personal commitment to our transatlantic Alliance.
So please, now you have the floor.
NATO Spokesperson, Farah Dakhlallah:
Thank you, we have some time for questions. We'll start with Slovenian Public Radio and TV. Over to you.
Igor Juric (RTV):
Hi, Secretary General, Igor Juric, Slovenian national television and radio. You already mentioned some things about this last 20 years since Slovenia joined NATO with some, with six other countries. Maybe could you elaborate a little bit more what, what Slovenia brought and all the other countries also to NATO in these last 20 years? And also the question how do you see the fact that Slovenia is still far away from the 2% of GDP for defence expenditures? And the question for the Prime Minister when will Slovenia reach this goal of 2% of the GDP? And maybe the last question for you, so Prime Minister why it took so much time for you or actually two years to come to visit NATO for the first time during your mandate?
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg:
Slovenia has been a highly valued and important NATO Ally now for two decades and we continue to appreciate very much the contributions that Slovenia is making to our collective defence, to our shared security. The fact that Slovenia contributes to NATO's battlegroups, both in Slovakia and in Latvia, demonstrates that Slovenia is not only an Ally that addresses the challenges in the immediate neighbourhood but also look at the broader picture. Then, it is of course important to what Slovenia has done and continues to do. Related to how to ensure stability in the Western Balkans, both in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but also in Kosovo. And Slovenia has for many years contributed her troops, forces to our peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, and I welcome the announcement from Prime Minister Golob to be ready to further increase the Slovenian contributions to our KFOR mission. These are important examples of how Slovenia is actually making a difference. Then, of course, now when Slovenia is a member of the UN Security Council, Slovenia plays an even more important role, because when Slovenia speaks we listen to them in NATO but actually Slovenia is now a voice inside the UN Security Council. I also believe that Slovenia has played an important role just by demonstrating back then 20 years ago that NATO’s door is open. It was not obvious after the end of Cold War that NATO was going to enlarge. But when the Cold War ended back in the beginning of the 1990s we were 16 members of the Alliance today with Slovenia and many others. We are 32 twice as many. And Slovenia has been part of this big success story of NATO enlargement, NATO enlargement of the European Union demonstrating that we actually are able to work together. It has helped to spread democracy and stability and freedom across Europe and Slovenia has been an important part of that big development. So we are extremely grateful to have Slovenia as a staunch Ally. I appreciate to work with Prime Minister Golob and maybe this is his first time at NATO headquarters, but we have met several times at different locations and we met at the NATO summit. So it's not the first time we both participate together in NATO meetings, but the first time here at the NATO headquarters, then just briefly, I welcome –I have been Prime Minister for 10 years. I understand that it's hard to find more money for defence because there are so many other demands on education, on infrastructure, on health and many other things. But Allies, they reduced defence spending when tensions went down after the end of the Cold War, then we have to be able to increase defence spending when tensions are going up as they are now with a full-fledged war in Europe. And I welcome the fact that Slovenia has started to increase defence spending and I welcome also the commitment to be at two percent so of course, the sooner the better. But we welcome increase and we welcome the commitment.
Prime Minister of Slovenia, Robert Golob:
At the moment, our commitment to get to 2% is planned for the 20 and 30. That may change in the future but that's what it is at the moment but the fact is that in the last three years, we increased by 70 percent our investment in military equipment and I think that's really shows our total readiness to fulfil our commitments, because it's not just about spending more money. It's about where do we spend it for and we do invest in military equipment. And all of that is of course, in the line of capability building within our NATO commitments as well. Regarding our meetings as Secretary General already said, there were many occasions before, so coming here, it's symbolic in a way. But nevertheless, it just one of the meetings that we've had in the past, and I'm pretty sure that not the most important but it's the most visible. Yes.
NATO Spokesperson, Farah Dakhlallah:
Thank you, we'll go over to Peter from DELO if that's okay. Slovenian national daily newspaper.
Peter Zerjavic (DELO Newspaper):
Thank you Peter Zerjavic, Slovenian daily newspaper. The Secretary General, Mr. Prime Minister, the NATO annual report last week has shown that the public support for the Alliance in Slovenia is very low is besides the Montenegrin special case is the lowest where do you see a reason for this. And also public support for defence spending is also very low among the lowest. Don't you think that such a situation in the public could hinder planned defence spending in Slovenia.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg:
Was that to me or to him? Okay, well I don't have the numbers in front of me in the annual report, but of course, it varies the support for NATO but in all Allies, including in Slovenia, there is a big majority for NATO. There is a big majority for increased defence spending. And especially if you take into account that the way we present the numbers there, it's support for NATO, then it's the undecided and then those who are against and if you just compare those are in favour against those who are against there is a majority, a clear majority also in Slovenia. Of course I would like to see even greater. That's obvious, but the reality is that we are 32 democracies, and we have open discussions. We have open debates and there will always be different opinions. That's part of being democracies, but Slovenia and NATO Allies have demonstrated again and again that despite some differences, some disagreements, we are always, we're always been able to unite around our core task to protect and defend each other, to invest more when necessary. And that's exactly what Slovenia is doing.
Prime Minister of Slovenia, Robert Golob:
I believe that the support is still quite strong. All the polls are relative in a way to make the light, make a light joke out of it. When our government is going to get that much support. We'll be really happy about that. So I would not want to put too much emphasise on that. There are many reasons why the support could be oscillating. Absolutely, the spill over of the propaganda from other Western Balkans country also out of Russia, it doesn't help to strengthen to support within Slovenia. But nevertheless, as I said, the government is committed and I think the support among the population is still strong enough not to be worried about that. When it comes to defence spending, it's not about we've been able or being committed to spend, is more about what we are capable of doing and as we're all aware, last year, we had really devastating floods, which we immediately informed not just our EU friends, but also our NATO Allies. And we were grateful to NATO to put some equipment immediately on the ground to assist in the floods relief. First and we also informed NATO that we will have to revise in the medium term, our plans for the military spending and that was also accepted with understanding.
NATO Spokesperson, Farah Dakhlallah:
Thank you. We'll have one final question for the Slovenian press agency. Over to you, Blaz.
Blaz Mohorcic (Slovenian Press Agency):
Thank you Blaz Mohorcic from the Slovenian press agency. It's quite a follow up to the colleagues’ question for the Secretary General on the spending, on this, could you please elaborate how do you assess this plan to increase until, only until 2030? Because since last summit, the 2% is floor and not the ceiling anymore? And for the Prime Minister, could you please elaborate a bit on the, on your remarks that Slovenia will increase the number of soldiers on Kosovo in KFOR what are the concrete plans? And also do you support Mr Rutte for the next Secretary General? Thank you.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg:
We made the pledge back in 2014 to move towards spending 2% of GDP on defence. Since then, all Allies also Slovenia has started to increase defence spending and as the prime minister just refer to, there has been over the last year, significantly, significant increase in Slovenia when it comes to more investments in defence, which is of course in key importance to acquire new defence capabilities. Then, of course, I would like to see Slovenia at 2% as soon as possible, I welcome the increase we have seen and I welcome that there is a plan to be at 2% and I hope it will be possible to push that plan forward. Because we live in a more dangerous world and therefore we need to invest more in our collective defence.
Prime Minister of Slovenia, Robert Golob:
Regarding the first question, there were, there are no concrete steps being decided yet. But what we express today is our willingness to contribute more, especially when it comes to the stability of the Western Balkans region. KFOR is just, I would say the most important and successful story of cooperation within the NATO, NATO itself regarding how to stabilise the region. And Slovenia in the past has a very important role. Then throughout the year, years, we somehow reduced our contribution but we are willing to do more if the need arises. And as it looks, yes, that may be the case in the next month, but it's something to be still discussed and decided upon. When it comes to the new Secretary General, the fact is that a month ago proximately. We expressed our support for Mark Rutte. The fact is that at that time, Mr. Rutte was the only candidate so obviously we had no qualms about expressing support, just a couple of weeks ago, then. Klaus Iohannis also presented his candidacy. We took it very seriously. Especially some of the, his points regarding the regionality of the positions and so forth. And we are still looking into it, meaning that now since there are two candidates, we will take both seriously. We are not saying that we are revising our decision yet but we are looking into the both, at the end of the day is going to, it will have to be unanimous the decision. And of course, Slovenia will do its best to promote the candidate who will get most votes as well. At the moment that looks to be Mark Rutte. But I would say we will have to wait for a couple of more weeks in order to be decisive on that.
NATO Spokesperson, Farah Dakhlallah:
Thank you, Secretary General. Thank you, Prime Minister. That's it for today. Thank you