NATO Could Have Done More to Prevent Ukraine War, Stoltenberg Admits

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg acknowledged in an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), quoted by Reuters, that NATO could have done more to arm Ukraine in an effort to prevent the Russian invasion in 2022. Stoltenberg reflected on his 10-year tenure, citing February 24, 2022, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion, as his worst day in office. He pointed out that the conflict did not begin in 2022, but in 2014, with the annexation of Crimea.

Stoltenberg suggested that if Ukraine had been stronger militarily before the invasion, Russia might have been more cautious. He admitted it is impossible to know if this would have been enough to deter the attack. During his first visit to Ukraine in 2015, Stoltenberg observed the US, Canada, and the UK training Ukrainian soldiers, but noted that NATO itself was not involved. "In general, our training and equipment support was quite limited. We could have done much more," he said.

He also highlighted the moment when Finland and Sweden joined NATO as the most rewarding part of his career in the alliance. Stoltenberg acknowledged the hesitation within NATO to provide Ukraine with weapons before the Russian invasion, fearing it might escalate tensions with Moscow. "Now we are arming Ukraine for war, but then we could have been arming Ukraine to prevent war," he emphasized.

Since the war began, Kyiv, although not a NATO member, has received a steady flow of weapons from its allies, despite initial reservations. Stoltenberg, who has been in office since 2014 and is set to step down in October, will be succeeded by former Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte. Stoltenberg, a former prime minister of Norway, reflected on his time at NATO, emphasizing that the end of the war will eventually require negotiation.

In the interview, Stoltenberg reaffirmed his belief in dialogue with Russia, combined with deterrence and strong defenses. "To have a meaningful dialogue, we must be strong," he said, while admitting there is much less room for negotiation now compared to 2014. One of Stoltenberg's early initiatives as Secretary General was to reactivate the NATO-Russia Council, which had been dormant for some time.

Stoltenberg also hinted at his future plans after leaving NATO but declined to confirm whether he would take over the Munich Security Conference from German diplomat Christoph Heusgen. He mentioned having "many options" and expressed a desire to settle in Oslo.