Nato countries have been alerted to the danger of an attack on the alliance's territorial integrity after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in a new Strategic Concept that redefines the group's security interests for a changed era.
“We cannot discount the possibility of an attack against Allies’ sovereignty,” the Concept warns as it sets out the challenges it faces from adversaries and competitors not just in Europe but beyond.
Holding the document in his hands during the press conference on its publication in Madrid on Wednesday, Jens Stoltenberg, Nato's secretary general, declared that as a current priority the conflict in eastern Europe would see the group's members back Kyiv.
“Ukraine can count on us for as long as it takes,” he said, adding that Nato allies would continue to provide significant military and financial help, including anti-drone systems, medicine, fuel and protection against biological and chemical warfare.
The document — agreed by all 30 member nations — roundly condemned President Vladimir Putin’s actions.
“The Russian Federation has violated the norms and principles that contributed to a stable and predictable European security order,” it stated. “We cannot discount the possibility of an attack against allies’ sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
It condemned Russia’s attack on Ukraine, stating that it had “shattered peace and gravely altered our security environment”.
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US President Joe Biden speaks at a news conference on the final day of the Nato summit in Madrid. AP -
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson holds a news conference. PA -
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan meets German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. AFP -
French President Emmanuel Macron speaks during the final day of the Nato summit. AP -
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and US President Joe Biden shake hands as Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson look on at a Nato summit in Madrid. Reuters -
Heads of state of Nato member countries and their spouses pose for a group photo during a visit to the Prado Museum, in Madrid. AFP -
French president Emmanuel Macron, right, and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis during the Prado Museum visit. AP -
Mr Biden takes a selfie with Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela and his wife Lydia Abela as they visit the Prado Museum. AP -
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the first lady of France, Brigitte Macron, right, and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo's wife Annik Penders have a conversation at the museum. AP -
Spanish police stand in front of protesters during an anti-Nato demonstration near Tirso de Molina square in Madrid. AFP -
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appears on a giant screen as he delivers a statement at the start of the first plenary session of the Nato summit. AFP -
World leaders pose for a photo during the summit. Reuters -
US President Joe Biden, left, and Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. AP -
Maria Begona Gomez, wife of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, the first Lady of Lithuania, Diana Nausediene, first lady of Malta, Lydia Abela, and Gauthier Destenay, the husband of Luxembourg's Prime Minister, before a visit to the royal site of San Idelfonso in Segovia. EPA -
Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Jens Stoltenberg, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Finland's President Sauli Niinisto, Sweden's Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson and Sweden's Foreign Minister Ann Linde pose for a picture after signing an agreement in Madrid. AP -
King Felipe VI of Spain addresses leaders during a dinner at the Royal Palace in Madrid. Reuters -
Mr Johnson meets Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. PA -
Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen attend a reception at the Royal Palace in Madrid. AP -
Spain's King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia greet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, right, during a royal reception for heads of governments and states. EPA -
King Felipe VI, left, Mr Sanchez, second left and Mr Macron before the dinner. AP -
Nato leaders pose for a 'family photo' with King Felipe and Queen Letizia in Madrid. Reuters -
Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, left, with Mr Biden and Mr Macron. EPA -
Mr Biden, left, and King Felipe arrive for a meeting at the Royal Palace in Madrid. Reuters -
Mr Johnson talks to journalists on his plane during a flight from Germany – where he was attending the G7 summit – to the Nato summit in the Spanish capital. PA -
Mr Erdogan, second left, meets Mr Stoltenberg, Mr Niinisto of Finland and Ms Andersson of Sweden before the summit. Reuters -
Mr Biden shakes hands with Prime Minister Sanchez of Spain at the Palace of Moncloa, in Madrid. AFP -
Mr Erdogan, centre, arrives at the Torreon air base in Madrid. AP -
Mr Sanchez, right, speaks with Mr Stoltenberg before the summit. EPA -
US first lady Jill Biden, centre left, and Spain's Queen Letizia speak with a family during a visit to a reception centre for Ukrainian refugees in Madrid. AP -
Spanish police patrol outside the Ifema convention centre before the Nato summit in Madrid. EPA -
Mr Sanchez and his New Zealand counterpart Jacinda Ardern hold the jerseys of their national football teams during a meeting at Moncloa Palace. EPA -
Finland's President Niinisto speaks during a briefing in Madrid before the Nato summit. Reuters -
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks to the media after arriving at Torrejon Airbase in Madrid. EPA -
Spanish police officers control traffic on the Spain-France border in Irun. Reuters -
Mr Stoltenberg speaks at a press conference to preview the Nato summit at the alliance's headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. AFP -
Spanish police use sniffer dogs to check a podium at the Ifema centre in Madrid. EPA -
US first lady Jill Biden waves on arrival at Torrejon air base in Madrid. Reuters
It added that Russia was “the most significant and direct threat to allies’ security and to peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area” but that Nato did “not seek confrontation and poses no threat to Russia”.
Mr Stoltenberg promised that more advanced western equipment would be sent to Ukraine to help it “transition from Soviet-era equipment to modern Nato equipment.”
With Turkey removing its objections to Sweden and Finland joining the alliance late on Tuesday, Mr Stoltenberg declared that their admission would be the “fastest accession ever”. After talking with heads of government, Mr Stoltenberg said “the message in the room was strong that they will work with parliaments to ratify it as soon as possible”.
Bringing the two Nordic countries into the alliance will strengthen Nato, particularly with Finland’s formidable military.
They will also join at a time when the Strategic Concept stated that the “potential use of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear weapons against Nato by hostile state and non-state actors remains a threat to our security”.
It also highlighted growing threats from terrorist groups as well as concerns over the “coercive policies” of China. The framework condemned both Iran’s and North Korea’s nuclear programmes and the use of chemical weapons by Russia and Syria.
The risk of terrorist attack still remained high with groups developing new forms of attack, it cautioned. “Terrorist organisations seek to attack or inspire attacks against allies. They have expanded their networks, enhanced their capabilities and invested in new technologies to improve their reach and lethality.”
It also raised concerns over the “fragility and instability” in parts of Africa and the Middle East aggravated by climate change, health emergencies and food insecurity. “This situation provides fertile ground for the proliferation of non-state armed groups, including terrorist organisations,” the paper said.
For the first time, Nato singled out China as a foe whose “coercive policies challenge our interests, security and values”
“China’s malicious hybrid and cyber operations and its confrontational rhetoric and disinformation target allies and harm alliance security.”
During a Nato Forum discussion, Britain’s Foreign Secretary Liz Truss cautioned that China could make a major strategic error after developing a capable military.
“There is a real risk that they draw the wrong idea, which results in a catastrophic miscalculation, such as invading Taiwan,” she said.
The Strategic Concept also described climate change as a “defining challenge of our time”
“It is a crisis and threat multiplier,” the paper said. “It can exacerbate conflict, fragility and geopolitical competition.
“We have decided on a goal to significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions by the Nato political and military structures and facilities, while maintaining operational, military and cost effectiveness. We will integrate climate change considerations across all of Nato’s core tasks.”
