NATO Assembly: “We Cannot Allow the Russian Dictator to Prevail”

MONTREAL – The NATO Parliamentary Assembly wrapped up its annual session Monday with a resounding message of support for Ukraine’s struggle against Russian aggression and a renewed commitment to the transatlantic Alliance’s vital role in protecting freedom, peace and democracy.

“We ... need to help Ukraine win,” said the Assembly's newly elected President Marcos Perestrello de Vasconcellos (Portugal). “This war is the existential struggle of our generation, and we cannot allow the Russian dictator to prevail.”

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also linked Russia’s illegal attack on Ukraine with actions of authoritarian powers to undermine democracy and the rules-based international order. He highlighted the imperative of Allies stepping up to back Kyiv’s fight.

“After more than 1,000 days of failure, Putin should understand that his attempts at intimidation only strengthen Ukraine’s courage and resolve and strengthen the solidarity of Ukraine’s allies, like our NATO countries,” he said. “Solidarity and unity and supporting Ukraine have never been so important.”

Trudeau addressed the closing plenary session of the four-day meeting that gathered 260 lawmakers from NATO and partner countries in Montreal. 

The Assembly passed a series of resolutions with policy recommendations for NATO governments, asking them to future-proof the Alliance and support Ukraine until it achieves victory; to upgrade Allied air and missile defences; combat conflict-related sexual violence; galvanise technological progress to support prosperity and security; and harness the opportunities of responsible Artificial Intelligence in the military.

President Perestrello said the lawmakers have a “crucial” role in urging governments to increase and accelerate support for Ukraine “including by advancing Ukraine’s path to NATO membership.”

NATO should close loopholes allowing Russia to evade sanctions; lift restrictions on the use of weapons against Russian military targets; and offer an invitation for Ukraine to join the Alliance as soon as possible, said Ruslan Stefanchuk, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s parliament. “An invitation ... would serve as a powerful motivational signal for the entire Ukrainian society, including our defenders, our troops on the frontline,” he told the Assembly. “NATO membership is key and the greatest guarantee of Ukraine’s security and future.”
More broadly, speakers underlined the importance of strengthening the transatlantic Alliance at a time of growing threats to democracy from hostile authoritarian regimes. 

“The levels of instability and insecurity we face are unprecedented since the darkest days of the Cold War and the risk of a major conflict is more real now than it has been in decades,” Mr Perestrello cautioned. “Our great Alliance stands resolute and unwavering in its mission to protect our citizens and push back against the authoritarian onslaught, capitalising on the advantages that our free societies have over dictatorships.” 

To strengthen defences against efforts to undermine democracies, Perestrello reiterated the NATO PA’s request for the establishment of the Centre of Democratic Resilience at NATO Headquarters to serve as a clearing house of best practices for Allies and partners alike in addressing threats to democracies. 

In a video message to the Assembly, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte sought parliamentary support for three key priorities: strengthening NATO defences to bolster deterrence; supporting Ukraine in its struggle against Russia and its allies; and meeting global challenges facing the world’s democracies.
“We face a more dangerous and uncertain world,” Rutte said. “There's war in Europe. We see China, Iran, North Korea and Russia joining forces to undermine us, and threats continue to transcend borders, from terrorism to cyber attacks. So it is vital that NATO becomes stronger, more capable and more agile.”

Addressing the plenary session, NATO’s Acting Deputy Secretary General Boris Ruge pressed Allied governments to boost military budgets up to and beyond the 2% of GDP set as a minimum for meeting defence needs.
"The bad news is that 2% is not enough to resource the defence plans that our leaders have adopted together, so Allies must indeed step up, spend more and spend better. Those who are lagging need to work even harder to catch up,” Ruge said. “Given a supremely challenging environment, we can no longer afford delays."

Raymonde Gagné, Speaker of the Canadian Senate, also underscored the value of NATO in today’s challenging security environment. "In these unpredictable and uncertain times, the transatlantic relationship is of ever-growing importance and the strength of this relationship has been very much in evidence this week," she told the Assembly.

The Assembly paid tribute to outgoing President, US Congressman Gerald E. Connolly, praising his dedication in upholding the democratic values underpinning the NATO Alliance. His “outstanding leadership guided our Assembly over the years and made it into one of the pillars of our transatlantic family,” Perestrello said.