Brussels/Berlin (dpa) – On the 75th anniversary of the foundation of NATO, Federal Foreign Minister Baerbock has described it as the keystone of European security. Against the background of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, she called on NATO partners to support the country in order to guarantee a lasting peace. “We have always believed that we can live together in peace in our continent of Europe,” she told an interview. The Foreign Minister said that after Russia’s President Vladimir Putin had “broken peaceful coexistence”, our highest responsibility was “to protect people in our continent as best we can.” Baerbock also added that, “As Europeans, we must and we will contribute to our own defence.”
NATO was established in Washington on 4 April 1949 in response to the policies of the Soviet Union. Germany became a member on 6 May 1955. The foundation stone of the alliance is Article 5 of the NATO treaty, under which all member states can rely on the assistance of their allies in Europe and North America in the case of armed attack, and in which all members are committed to supporting their allies. General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg is joined by the foreign ministers of the 32 member states, including US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, for the anniversary celebrations in Brussels.
