America News Agency

He said NATO's enduring success has never been a given but rather the "result of conscious choices and difficult decisions", from its founding to arms control negotiations, from its enlargement at the end of the Cold War to its support for Ukraine today.

"In a war with an aggressive Russia as a neighbour, there are no costless options and no risk-free options," the Secretary-General warned, adding that the biggest cost and the biggest risk would be a Russian victory in Ukraine, which would embolden President Putin as well as other authoritarian leaders in Iran, North Korea and China.

"The time to defend freedom and democracy is now, and Ukraine is the place," Stoltenberg said. Stoltenberg concluded that the Alliance will continue to face difficult questions in the future, but "we are stronger and safer together in NATO".

At the end of the event, President Biden presented Stoltenberg with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honour of the United States, for his ten years of service at the helm of the Alliance.

The Secretary-General met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken earlier in the day. The two discussed Summit decisions to "strengthen our Alliance for the future", including deterrence and defence, support for Ukraine and strengthening NATO's partnership in the Indo-Pacific.

The Secretary-General also participated in the first NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum hosted by the US Chamber of Commerce. He spoke with industry representatives, Allied defence ministers, and others about NATO's new defence industry commitment to enhance transatlantic defence industry cooperation and welcomed the fact that "just today (NATO procurement agency) NSPA signed a new multinational contract worth nearly $700 million for Stinger missiles."