Brussels, 14 June 2024 (MIA) - At the upcoming NATO Summit, which will be held in Washington, D.C. on 9-11 July 2024, the Alliance will be rolling out new policied tied to cyber security. In 2016, the Alliance declared cyber security as a new domain, which means that Article 5 could apply to some sort of cyber-attack in the future, the United States Permanent Representative to NATO, Julianne Smith, told MIA in an interview.  

She points out that NATO members have spent many years talking about their experiences and national policies they have in place to either deter, prevent, or address cyber-attacks. After assessing the problem, NATO is now trying to build a set of tools across the Alliance that will better equip allies to cope with these types of attacks. In addition, talks are conducted with friendly countries, such as Japan and South Korea, about their own national cyber strategies.

"Cyber remains a key feature of our work here inside the Alliance. Watch very closely at the Summit, I think you're going to see four or five new policies. And certainly North Macedonia will benefit from those policies and also bring its own expertise into the Alliance," said Smith. 

As regards NATO support to Ukraine, Smith said the United States believes that most of the countries are doing everything they can for Ukraine.

"First let me start by thanking North Macedonia for all of its significant contributions to Ukrainian military commanders, and Ukrainian forces. Those contributions have been absolutely critical, and we applaud everything that North Macedonia has done and continues to do for the people of Ukraine," Smith said, adding that members of the Alliance must continue to look inward and identify either additional financial resources or actual capabilities that can be sent to Ukraine as it needs to prevail at the end of the day and push Russia out of its territory.

In the interview, Smith also talks about election of the next secretary general, members' defense spending and the commitment to the Alliance among other. 

MIA will publish the full interview with U.S. Ambassador Smith on Saturday. 

Photo: MIA