Speaking of the escalating crisis orchestrated by the Belarusian regime on the borders of Latvia, Lithuania and in particular Poland, President Karis said that peace and stability in Europe cannot be taken for granted. “It is also a reminder to us that there are dictators in Europe who care nothing for human lives and suffering,” he remarked. “What Lukashenko is doing is waging an attack on the integrity of the borders of three European states and NATO members and on their security. We must support Poland, Lithuania and Latvia and show a determined and united front – in NATO, in the European Union and at the national level.”
President Karis focused in his address on the future of the alliance, stating that NATO is and would remain the cornerstone of Estonian, European and transatlantic security. “This phrase has been so common in our discourse that it is said almost without thinking,” he said. “After all, NATO has maintained peace in Europe for over 70 years. But now is the time, as the alliance devises its Strategic Concept for 2030, to think about how we can ensure that NATO copes with fending off the most important threats we face today.”
The head of state added that the alliance has begun to acknowledge the shifting in the geopolitical balance and its impact on Euro-Atlantic security. “We are also starting to understand the new requirements of rapidly evolving technology,” he said. “How well Allies do in developing new and disruptive technological capabilities will be a key factor in NATO’s ability to ensure the security of the Euro-Atlantic area.“
President Karis says that the ideals of democracy, rule of law and individual liberties underpinning NATO remain the most important bonds that bind the alliance. “The trans-Atlantic community is a community in the true sense of the word – we are united by our values, and by trust, friendship and solidarity,” he said. “This is also why I believe in the continued commitment of US to NATO and a strong American role in European security. Europe needs the United States and the United States needs Europe.”
Speaking of NATO’s ability to adapt, President Karis remarked that the alliance is perhaps for the first time after the collapse of the Soviet Union, facing a new geostrategic reality. “Autocratic regimes are eroding the international order based on rules and norms,” he stated. “It seems to be increasingly normal to use any and all instruments in pursuit of political objectives, including military pressure, hybrid warfare, cyber weapons and information operations. This is happening in Europe as we speak. The Belarusian hybrid attack against Poland and Lithuania and Latvia. The build-up of Russian forces on the borders of Ukraine, and attempts to use energy blackmail in Moldova. Russian challenge to stability and security in Europe is less and less disguised. If needed, NATO must strengthen its posture in the Baltics and Poland.”
With the emergence of China’s global ambitions, international security is increasingly structured around the great power competition in the Pacific and further afield. “In the past years, we have seen a jump not only in China’s assertiveness globally, but also in its military power,” President Karis remarked.
