NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has thanked Germany for its pivotal role in the Alliance during a visit to Berlin, the western military alliance said in a statement Wednesday.
"I am very grateful for Germany's leading role in Afghanistan and in Kosovo. You have shown your commitment to your fellow Allies in reinforcing our collective defense in light of the Russia-Ukraine crisis," he said after talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Rasmussen also held talks with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen to prepare the Wales Summit in September and to discuss the challenging situation on NATO's eastern and southern borders.
Meetings with members of the German Bundestag Foreign Policy Committee and the Defense Committee are also on the agenda, with a broad range of security issues will come up for discussion.
The NATO Secretary General expressed his gratitude to Chancellor Merkel for her personal commitment in trying to deescalate the Ukraine crisis.
"Russia's actions threaten the peace and security we have built after the fall of the Berlin Wall. And let me stress: nobody wants to return to the Europe of the Cold War," he said.
"We cannot have new dividing lines across our continent. Therefore, I call on Russia to reverse its course and to begin the long process of rebuilding the trust it has broken," Rasmussen added.
The Secretary General stressed that in today's dangerous world, "it is important that we keep our robust defenses to keep our nations safe, and I count on all allies to take responsibility for their share of the cost of security to keep our alliance strong."
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