NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte met Prime Minister Luc Frieden and Minister for Defence Yuricko Backes before holding a joint press conference.
In front of onlooking journalists, Frieden announced that Rutte was not only Secretary General of NATO but also a "dear friend of Luxembourg". He went on to highlight NATO's role in the current political climate and reiterated Luxembourg's pledge to increase military expenditure in line with the alliance's goals.
Following the meeting between Rutte, Frieden and Backes, it was announced at the joint press conference that Luxembourg would take part in the NATO project PURL. PURL is an initiative by NATO and US President Trump to purchase existing weapons and deliver them to Ukraine. These are largely American weapons. The Dutch, Belgian, and German governments had already announced their participation in the PURL project.
The visit was framed as a demonstration of allied cohesion and stability. This signal comes at a time of significant geopolitical pressure, including demands for increased defence spending from the US and the ongoing Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, for which continued military supplies are essential.
Prime Minister Frieden stressed the importance of the PURL contribution, stating, "this is important for the Ukrainians, and it is important for the whole of Europe and for us too."
While acknowledging Luxembourg's size, both Frieden and Minister Backes outlined the unique capabilities the country provides to the alliance, particularly in satellite technology and secure communication. Defence Minister Backes noted that Secretary General Rutte had emphasised the extreme importance of these contributions to NATO.
"On the other hand, we are now also well-equipped in the field of earth observation with the LUXEOSYS satellite," Backes added.
Secretary General Rutte praised Luxembourg's efforts, stating that the collective defence capabilities of NATO must be robust enough to deter any potential aggression, ensuring Russia "will never try to attack one square kilometre of NATO land."
The former Dutch Prime Minister had a busy day in the country. After the meeting with the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister, he attended an audience with Grand Duke Henri at the palace. Later, he was scheduled to meet Chamber President Claude Wiseler and visit SES in Betzdorf as well as the NATO Support Agency in Capellen.
