Reporting from the NATO summit
We’re now hearing from US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, who began by talking about NATO’s history and how the principle of collective security was formed in the wake of the Second World War.
He noted that the “first and only time” NATO’s Article 5 was invoked was after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the US. Article 5 sets out that an attack on one member of the NATO military alliance is an attack on all.
“NATO stood by us,” he says. “We’re going to stand by NATO”.
Looking forward, Austin said the US will “not be dragged into Putin’s war of choice”, although it will continue to stand by Ukraine and strengthen the NATO alliance.
“NATO is now larger than ever,” he adds. “Putin’s war is not the result of NATO enlargement. Putin’s war is the cause of NATO enlargement.”