Well, thank you so much Chancellor Merz, lieber Friedrich. And thank you, Minister-President Wüst, lieber Hendrik. And great to see you here Matt, Matt Whitaker the Ambassador of the United States to NATO. It means a lot that you are also here today with us. And thank you, Dr Zinkann, lieber Reinhard, and all members of the jury, and also particularly, of course, for the pin you already wanted me to wear – I’ll do it...
Well, thank you so much Chancellor Merz, lieber Friedrich. And thank you, Minister-President Wüst, lieber Hendrik. And great to see you here Matt, Matt Whitaker the Ambassador of the United States to NATO. It means a lot that you are also here today with us. And thank you, Dr Zinkann, lieber Reinhard, and all members of the jury, and also particularly, of course, for the pin you already wanted me to wear – I’ll do it later. You really love this, I know. And all members of the jury for this very prestigious Preis des Westfälischen Friedens. And many congratulations to you, to the youth network socioMovens, for your award and your commitment to a peaceful Europe. Your Eminence, General Breuer, Your Excellencies, representatives of state and church, Ladies and gentlemen, It's really a big honour to be here with you in Mϋnster to receive this prize, indeed on behalf of NATO and all the incredible people that make up the Alliance. They are the ones – they’re civilian, they’re military – doing the hard work, and they are doing this every day, to keep one billion people across Europe and North America safe. So, this prize is for them. They truly deserve it. Thank you. Distinguished guests, During the Eighty Years’ War, the Dutch Republican Army of Mauritz van Nassau defeated the Austrian forces of Archduke Albert in the Battle of Nieuwpoort in 1600. Albert’s horse – a white stallion – was captured. And he became a trophy of victory. For art lovers, there are even portraits of this horse in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. As a historian, and a Dutchman, I cannot come to Mϋnster without mentioning the Eighty Years’ War – and of course the Thirty Years’ War – which of course ended with the signing of the Peace of Westphalia, right here in this very city. That battle of Nieuwpoort, like many others in those days, was won largely thanks to the cavalry. Because back in the 17th century, horses were a vital asset on the battlefield. They charge, they travel long distances, and they carry heavy loads. So they were, in those days, indispensable. The Archduke Albert’s white horse was prized because it was a symbol of how his army waged war. Tonight, this horse is a prize that reminds us of what it takes to preserve peace. The Westfalenross, or Westphalian Steed, on this sculpture is of course the symbol of Westphalia. But it is more than that. It stands for strength, it stands for speed, and stamina. The hallmarks of a horse. But also, the prerequisites for lasting peace. And qualities we need more than ever to defend our nations and protect our people in dangerous times. I am really honoured to receive this peace prize on behalf of NATO. And I see it as a recognition of the vital role that our transatlantic Alliance has played in preserving peace in Europe for more than three quarters of a century now. But I am also honour-bound to remind us that Europe is not at peace today. In Ukraine, a full-blown war has been raging now for nearly five years. Russian missiles and drones target innocent Ukrainians every day, destroying homes, cutting off supplies, shattering lives. It's war at its worst, and it is happening right here – as you said, Friedrich, right here in Europe. Russia is suffering enormous losses, now estimated at more than 40,000. Realise this, more than 40,000 – killed or seriously wounded every month. But despite those heavy losses, Putin shows no willingness to bring the war to an end. If anything, at the moment, he is intensifying it. And let’s be clear, our own nations are targets too. The list of Russia’s malign hybrid attacks across Europe grows longer every day. Cyberattacks. Sabotage. Arson. Airspace violations. Drone incidents. Indeed, at Leipzig airport, a drone with explosives attempted to blow up cargo planes. We know these attacks are a sign of desperation in Russia. Putin is not getting his way in Ukraine and wants to make us pay for it. My message is this: Keep calm, carry on, and support Ukraine. Keep calm because we are well placed to defend every inch of Allied territory. Carry on investing in our defence so our ability to defend our people grows stronger every day. And support Ukraine. Putin wants to intimidate and divide us. But he will fail. And our response to his hostile actions is to support Ukraine even more. And Friedrich, let me say, I fully agree with your strong remarks in your excellent speech. Also, what you said about the continued support for Ukraine. We face a complex and dangerous world. Terrorism persists. Extremists target innocent people, like at the Berlin Pride festival this summer. And we face a more assertive China, that continues to modernise its armed forces and expand its nuclear capabilities without transparency. North Korea continues to develop its nuclear programme, and supply ammunition for Russia’s war. And Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes have threatened NATO Allies and partners. This sombre picture of our security environment serves as a reminder that peace is precarious. For over 75 years, NATO’s mission has been to prevent war, protect our territory and populations, and preserve the peace. And that’s what we continue to do every day. In the face of real and lasting dangers, we are redoubling our efforts to build stronger defences. Faster and together. Like a Westphalian horse, NATO stands for strength, speed, and stamina. Building strength to protect peace comes, of course, with a price tag. The price tag is 5% of GDP. That’s what NATO Allies agreed we need to invest annually in defence. And we are showing the world that it is a price we are willing to pay. Because we know it is an investment in our security. Across the Alliance, investments in defence are going up. In 2025 and 2026 combined, Europe and Canada will have invested more than 250 billion dollars extra in core defence. And the trend continues, with Germany in the driving seat, alongside other European Allies. By 2029, this country, Germany, plans to invest over 150 billion euros per year in defence. And that’s massive. And here, I thank you, Chancellor Merz, lieber Friedrich, and your government, for your commitment to charging ahead on defence. Your decision in May 2025 to support the 5% target – you mentioned the Summit in The Hague, in my hometown – to support that 5% target in that Summit, I think was a real show of leadership. And I believe that when the recent history of NATO will be written, people will recognise the importance of your decision in May 2025 to take that position, and I want to thank you for that. It’s good for Germany, for Europe and all of NATO. It creates more security, more jobs, and more opportunity. And of course, money alone is not enough to deliver the real security. We need, in the end, the men and women in uniform. Trained and ready. We need tanks, jets, ships, drones, weapons, ammunition, incorporating the latest technology. We need to produce and deliver these capabilities today. Speed is of the essence. Russia and China are racing ahead. We must ensure our industrial engine turns faster. And that’s why NATO is working closely with industry on both sides of the Atlantic, to ensure they ramp up production and ramp up innovation. Major defence and technology companies here in North Rhine Westphalia are doing exactly that. Companies like Rheinmetall, ThyssenKrupp, and many others. This region is Europe’s industrial powerhouse. We need the steel, the firepower and the technologies that you produce. And, indeed, Ukraine needs them too. So please keep them coming. To be clear, increased defence production is not about warmongering. It’s about making sure we keep our people safe and Ukrainians strong in their fight for freedom. That’s what it is about. I talked about strength and speed, so let me say a few words about stamina. Keeping one billion people safe is not a sprint. We are in for a long journey. We know that Russia’s well-oiled war machine is not going to turn rusty any time soon. And that China’s military modernisation and technological development are not about to slow down. So, we need to sustain investments in defence. Sustain production of essential capabilities. Sustain our armed forces. And sustain our support for Ukraine. This requires stamina. And stamina requires team work. 32 nations on both sides of the Atlantic. We have some of the most advanced economies, with the best defence industries and tech companies, and the most ingenious minds in the world. And we have many partners and friends. Including the European Union, and countries like Ukraine, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and the Republic of Korea. Together, we’re all heading in the same direction. Towards preventing war and preserving peace. Distinguished guests, dear friends, These are challenging times. Peace is precarious. We do not know with certainty what tomorrow will bring. But we do know we will defend one another. An attack against one is an attack against all. And this creed, and our steadfast resolve to live by it, has preserved peace for over 75 years – an unprecedented period of peace, prosperity, and freedom on this continent. And we also know Ukraine's fight is our fight, their security is our security, and our support is unwavering. And I know Germany is at the heart of our Alliance, and takes the leadership role we need it to take. So, I count on that, on your continued leadership at NATO. And you can rely on NATO to keep doing everything we can, with strength, speed and stamina, to protect our freedom, our security, and our peace. Vielen Dank.
Speech Brief