NATO chief Stoltenberg flies in Eurofighter jet during Germany visit | World

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg on Thursday co-piloted a Eurofighter jet in northern Germany amid heightened tensions with Russia.

Speaking to reporters after the flight, Stoltenberg said he was impressed by the capabilities of the German Air Force and the Laage Air Base in Rostock, northern Germany.

“Laage Air Base is important for Germany, it is impressive not least because it trains so many German pilots, it’s also important for NATO, because what they do from here is to educate the best pilots in the world, and also to support the different air policing missions which is important in a more challenging security environment,” he said.

Stoltenberg said during his flight he observed air-to-air refueling exercises and the support of allied aircraft and fighter jets to NATO’s air policing activities.

He thanked German Air Force chief Gen. Ingo Gerhartz and military personnel for their service, and their contributions to NATO missions.

“I would like to also thank you for what you do for Ukraine, because Germany is one of the countries in Europe that provides the most support to Ukraine, and you are now actually providing an additional Patriot battery,” Stoltenberg said.

“And as far as I understand you’re actually now training the personnel for that Patriot battery, so it demonstrates that the German Air Force is contributing in so many different ways to NATO, but also to our efforts to help and support the Ukrainians,” he added.