It has been particularly disappointing that in the past week, NATO leadership has remained silent about the war in Europe.
After the Secretary General’s visit to England last month, there were plenty of briefings about the support to Ukraine. Five weeks later, that support looks fragmented despite the visit of the two new Assistant Secretary Generals(ASGs) to Kyiv (there are 6 ASGs serving on NATO’s International Staff).
What was especially poignant was that the Ukrainian President praised the EU Council and Commission last weekend, but did not do the same for NATO this week (Ukraine became a member of NATO’s Partnership for Peace in 1994).
It is not as if there is nothing for NATO to say. At the same time as Zelensky met the EU leaders, there was an important NATO symposium which exposed the extent of Russia’s widening war in Europe; including drone, cyber, sabotage and subversion operations. There was also NATO’s Nuclear Planning Group meeting in Helsinki following its Deterrence exercise in Italy earlier this month. So why has Mark Rutte remained silent since he spoke about Baltic security and the requirements list during his visit to Estonia?
Yes, I know he has to tread carefully because NATO is primarily a political organisation, but really is is time for the Secretary General to get off the fence, roll up his sleeves and show some leadership.
