NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Wednesday in a speech at the conservative Heritage Foundation that NATO is essential to the U.S. effort to defeat the global threat from China.

In his opening remarks at the event, Heritage Chairman Kevin Roberts asserted that aid to Ukraine should not come at the expense of U.S. border security. Mr. Stoltenberg countered this by emphasizing the importance of NATO to the United States in winning its greatest challenge since the Cold War.

Stoltenberg is on a trip to the United States to drum up support for the Biden administration's $60 billion request to help Ukraine resist the Russian invasion. Funding is currently stalled due to a feud between Republicans and the Biden administration over border policy.

“Challenging China cannot be done by the United States alone. And it doesn't have to be through NATO,” Stoltenberg said. (Related: Exclusive: Terrorists caught crossing border illegally were allowed to roam free for almost a year, memo says)

The Biden administration views China as the most important long-term challenge to U.S. security and global operational capabilities, while arguing that Russia poses a major short-term challenge. ing.

NATO is focused on supporting Ukraine, which is not a NATO member, to quell Russia's renewed threat to the alliance.

As of October 31, the Biden administration had committed more than $44 billion in security assistance to Ukraine, in addition to $27 billion in economic and humanitarian assistance. according to To Ukraine support tracker. However, following the failure of Ukraine's counterattack, some conservatives, including President Heritage, are increasingly skeptical of continued U.S. aid.

“Heritage strongly supports the NATO Alliance and its mission,” Roberts said. But a few sentences later, he added: “Unless we use military alone, work effectively with European countries, be transparent and accountable, and follow a clearly articulated strategy for victory, we will not be able to send further funds to Ukraine.'' I do not support the offer,” Roberts added.

His comments echo those of former President Donald Trump. statement At a rally in Las Vegas, he expressed his belief that if the United States were attacked, NATO's European members would not come to its aid. NATO countries have boosted spending levels under his presidency and since the Russian invasion, but some major countries have lagged significantly behind, data show. show.

With Russia showing no signs of seeking peace, NATO allies' continued support to Ukraine is critical to helping Ukraine fight for freedom#StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/yJGQIyHhoo

— NATO (@NATO) January 29, 2024

Stoltenberg argued that while NATO is not intended to counter China, China poses an equally significant threat to the entire NATO alliance. China is leveraging its supply chain and technology power to directly impact Europe and pose global challenges.

“We are not a global alliance, but we have to work with global partners,” Stoltenberg said.

Europe's dependence on China for critical infrastructure such as ports and railways, strategic supplies and 5G communications has made Europe vulnerable. Stoltenberg said Europe cannot afford to make the same mistake with China as it did with Russia, which dismissed dependence on Russian natural gas as a commercial issue with no national security implications. Stated.

“Under President Trump and since then, NATO has come a long way in helping our European allies fully recognize and respond to the challenges posed by China,” he said.

Stoltenberg said he planned to meet with leaders of both parties on Tuesday and visit a javelin weapons factory in Alabama later Wednesday.

“The United States must balance these threats, and we cannot afford to focus solely on the Atlantic and ignore the Pacific, let alone the Middle East,” Roberts said in his opening remarks.

“We don't have the luxury of talking only about China or only talking about Russia. That's part of the challenge,” Stoltenberg later told Trump administration former national security adviser Victoria.・Said during a question and answer session with Mr. Coates.

All content produced by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent, nonpartisan news distribution service, is available free of charge to legitimate news publishers with large audiences. All republished articles must include our logo, reporter byline, and DCNF affiliation. If you have any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact us at licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.