MUNICH – Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Thom Tillis (R-NC), Co-Chairs of the U.S. Senate NATO Observer Group, discussed the importance of U.S. support for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) at a fireside chat with Politico during the Munich Security Conference. The Senators highlighted the importance of strengthening NATO and remaining united with our NATO Allies. Video of the fireside chat can be found here.
“As co-chair of the U.S. Senate NATO Observer Group, I was honored to join my fellow co-chair Senator Tillis at the Munich Security Conference to reaffirm our unwavering commitment to NATO,” said Ranking Member Shaheen. “The Alliance has only strengthened in the face of Russia’s war in Ukraine and other global challenges, and we must ensure that we remain united with our transatlantic Allies. This is a defining moment—our commitment to NATO and Ukraine will shape the future of international stability and deterrence.”
“With Russian aggression in Ukraine and other rising global security challenges, the United States must remain a strong and reliable partner in supporting NATO,” said Senator Tillis. “As co-chairs of the U.S. Senate NATO Observer Group, Senator Shaheen and I are proud to join this year’s Munich Security Conference to emphasize the critical importance of strengthening NATO and in reinforcing the United States' unwavering support to our Allies and Partners. It is imperative that our NATO Allies meet their commitments to address emerging threats and ensure that NATO remains united and capable of safeguarding global security as we collectively adapt and respond to the evolving security landscape.”
The annual Munich Security Conference brings together defense leaders from around the globe to provide a venue for diplomatic initiatives and ideas to cooperatively address the world’s most pressing security concerns.
As co-chairs of the U.S. Senate NATO Observer Group, which they re-started together in 2018, Shaheen and Tillis have led bipartisan efforts in the Senate in support of the transatlantic Alliance. During last year’s NATO Summit in Washington, DC, Shaheen and Tillis hosted and participated in a number of meetings, including with NATO allies from the Western Balkans and with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Last year, the Senators penned an op-ed calling for a recommitment to strengthening NATO on the 80th Anniversary of D-day. The Senators have also pushed Allies to reach the two percent defense spending target that was agreed to by NATO and have been outspoken in their support to grow the Alliance.
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