Following a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine-Commission Chancellor Angela Merkel said that NATO is looking to cooperate more closely with Ukraine. This does not involve NATO membership for Ukraine, however, she stressed.

The NATO summit was held on 4 and 5 September in the Welsh town of Newport. As well as the heads of state and government, NATO ministers of foreign affairs and defence also met. Newport welcomed 60 government representatives, 4,000 delegates, 70 ministers of foreign affairs and defence and 1,500 journalists.

Broad consensus on the need for a peaceful solution

The Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko is counting on a political solution to the Ukrainian conflict and is maintaining "stable contacts" with the Russian President to this end said Angela Merkel. "Whether the words are followed by actions – tomorrow or in the days to come – remains to be seen."

Once again Angela Merkel affirmed that there cannot be a military solution. There was a broad consensus on this point.

The day at the summit had made one thing quite clear though. "We support Ukraine. We are demonstrating solidarity. We are also willing to impose additional sanctions to underline our political demands," said the Chancellor.

The message sent is also, however, "We want to see a political solution. Of course we are willing to speak with Russia, and the Ukrainian President is the first to state his readiness." This "twin-track strategy" is the key to success in her opinion, said the Chancellor.

NATO summit in Wales

Thursday, 4 September 2014

NATO summit in Wales

Thursday, 4 September 2014

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Frank-Walter Steinmeier calls for direct talks

After a meeting with the Ukrainian President, Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said that it is up to Moscow and Kyiv to resolve the conflict.

If the worst case scenario is to be avoided, he said, there must now "be serious direct negotiations about a bilateral ceasefire".

In view of the latest developments, Frank-Walter Steinmeier also sees a chance "to move towards defusing the conflict". With regard to the meeting of the Contact Group in Minsk on 5 September President Poroshenko had declared himself "cautiously optimistic that a phase of serious negotiations has now begun".

Continued support for Afghan security forces

On the first day of the summit, the heads of state and government discussed Afghanistan. Angela Merkel reported that both presidential candidates in Afghanistan had pledged that they would come to a political agreement and begin work soon.

"That is very important because we need clarity with respect to the security agreement so that the mission to follow the ISAF mission can be launched." Operation Resolute Support aims to support the Afghan security forces.

Germany will remain in the north of the country, in Mazar-e Sharif, and deliver its contribution to stabilising the country from there. "There will be no more combat missions," declared Angela Merkel.

The Chancellor pointed to the success of the ISAF mission. Eight million children now attend school, as compared to fewer than one million when the mission began. "40 per cent are girls, who previously got no education at all." And the per capita income in Afghanistan has increased fivefold. Nevertheless we are still a good way away from across-the-board security, said Angela Merkel.

Within the scope of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission NATO currently has 49,000 soldiers from 48 countries (including about 1,800 Bundeswehr troops) on the ground in Afghanistan.

NATO learns from current conflicts

The lessons that should be learned from the conflict between Ukraine and Russia were the main topic of the second day of the NATO summit. Summit participants agreed on an action plan to ensure that all NATO partners are protected in future.

Germany will be making important contributions to the activities laid out in the Readiness Action Plan explained the Chancellor at the subsequent press conference. "For instance in the form of the multinational headquarters of the Danish, Polish and German brigades in Szczecin. We will be upgrading significantly and improving functionality."

Swifter and more effective response

NATO must become swifter and better able to respond said Federal Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen after a meeting with her counterparts. To this end the member nations must step up cooperation. To protect eastern member states in particular, involvement at sea, on land and in the air must be expanded.

This also included a newly founded platform. "In terms of Afghanistan we all realise that as the ISAF mission comes to an end we must preserve the experience we have gained jointly in Afghanistan with 50 nations, in how to cooperate well and in high level interoperability", said Ursula von der Leyen, explaining the background.

Fighting IS together

With a view to the IS militia, which is brutally persecuting religious and ethnic minorities in Iraq and Syria, Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier stressed the need for coordinated international action.

Military intervention can only be successful if it is part of stable political structures. A successful fight against IS, however, also presupposes agreement in the Arab world, across their otherwise divergent interests. "It must at least be possible to fight radical Islamist terrorist groups."