NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană addressed students of the Sciences Po Toulouse on Friday (1 March 2024) on NATO's adaptation and innovation efforts to keep Allied populations safe in a more dangerous world.
Mr Geoană stressed the importance of increasing defence investment in order to deter aggression, prevent conflict and preserve peace. He underlined that the cost of supporting Ukraine now, which has entered its third year of fighting against Russia's full-scale invasion, is less than the cost of defending our security if President Putin wins.
The Deputy Secretary General also said that faced with growing strategic competition, NATO has been stepping up innovation in new technologies such as AI, hypersonics and space, and making sure that technological advances are achieved in a responsible way and in full respect of democratic values and international law.
Mr Geoană also explained that cooperation with industry, as well as with the EU and like-minded partners from the Indo-Pacific and NATO's southern neighbourhood was vital to enhance our collective defence and resilience. With Sweden's imminent accession and NATO's 75th anniversary this year, the Alliance is stronger than ever he concluded.
During his trip to Toulouse, Mr Geoană also visited Airbus, where he met with space and defence representatives.
