he Secretary General was in Warsaw for talks with the Prime Minister as well as President Bronislaw Komorowsky on the Ukraine crisis and preparations for the NATO Summit in Wales. He also met with Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski and Defence Minister Tomasz Siemoniak.

Poland knows the importance of solidarity in the face of oppression and resolve in standing up for freedom and justice, Mr. Fogh Rasmussen said, praising Poland's leadership role over the 15 years since its accession to NATO, as well as during the current crisis. “You are a leading voice in Europe and in NATO, as we assess the longer-term implications of this new situation for our own security,” the NATO Secretary General stated. He made clear that collective defence remains NATO’s central task: “ I am confident that Poles will continue to invest in security and will stay vigilant. And let me assure you that as a member of NATO, you are safe. Anybody who would try to test Allied solidarity will fail.”

As the Alliance prepares for the Wales Summit, NATO’s challenge is to continue with its current tasks, including its missions in Afghanistan and Kosovo, while adjusting its collective defence to meet the new reality created by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. The Secretary General stressed that Allies had to strengthen their capabilities through stronger investment and stronger cooperation. “This challenge, too, will demand solidarity, resolve and leadership,” he said.