Jens Stoltenberg, a former prime minister of Norway, was Nato’s 13th general secretary during the tumultuous decade between 2014 and 2024. His memoir, On My Watch, is a detailed behind-the-scenes account of his stewardship of Nato from the initial phase of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine to Trump’s second presidency in 2024.
Stoltenberg describes his dealings with US presidents Obama, Biden and Trump openly and candidly, outlining a common theme among all three, that of a relentless pressure from the White House for European member states to increase their spending on defence to a minimum of 2.5 per cent of gross domestic product.
Stoltenberg’s writing style on the many challenges that confronted Nato during this decade – assisted by co-writer Per Anders Madsen – is informal and engaging. In the first few pages, as in any good thriller, he pulls the reader into the sturm and drang of international conflict. On page three, he quotes a Nato intelligence analyst on the eve of Putin’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine: “Secretary General, I want you to know that the decision has been made. The order to attack (Ukraine) has been given.”
Stoltenberg’s leadership of Nato spanned many challenges and conflicts, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the war on Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, along with the collapse of the alliance in Afghanistan and their complete and chaotic withdrawal in August 2021. Despite these, at times catastrophic, events, Stoltenberg argues that he oversaw the strengthening of Nato, achieving a greater spend on defence among its member-states along with an expansion of the alliance to include Sweden and Finland in 2023.
On My Watch by Jens Stoltenberg: a behind-the-scenes account of his Nato stewardship
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While these developments were certainly influenced by Putin’s criminal aggression against Ukraine, and successive US presidents’ pressure to increase defence spending, Stoltenberg’s extensive political experience certainly strengthened the cohesion of Nato – ending any distinction between the so-called eastern bloc and the western bloc of the military alliance. He also oversaw the establishment of a big Nato operation to co-ordinate logistical and military support for Ukraine.
The book also gives the reader insight into how international leaders balance high-profile leadership roles with family matters and the personal crises that arise in all our lives. He dedicates the book to his wife Ingrid and it is clear throughout the book the crucial role their relationship played in making it possible for him to function as secretary general of Nato and as a husband and father.
In a very moving passage, he speaks of the death by overdose of his sister Nini and describes the tragic circumstances of her untimely passing. “Nini … wearing a thin silk nightdress, sat in a chair in the kitchen. She looked peaceful. I gently put my palm to her cheek and felt that she was cold … My little sister was dead.”
His close family were critical to his decision-making process, with his father Thorvald – a former Norwegian government minister – regularly critiquing and commenting on his leadership and particularly on Nato’s relationship with Russia. This is an especially interesting aspect of the book. At all times, despite the increasingly criminal nature of Putin’s rogue actions, Stoltenberg recommends continued dialogue and engagement with the Kremlin. “Dialogue is strength … If you daren’t even speak with the Russians, that is an expression of weakness.”
Stoltenberg also gives a unique insight into Russia’s foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, whom he describes as “rough”, “unpleasant”, but wily and agile and at all times seeking to intimidate and “bully”. In his reflections, Stoltenberg is unfazed by the Kremlin’s adversarial communications style and describes it as a sign of insecurity and weakness.
However, he is also careful to warn the reader that in order to protect Europe’s values and territorial integrity, the alliance had to communicate with Moscow and Beijing from a position of increased strength. “The Kremlin understands only one language … The Language of Power.”
Stoltenberg’s descriptions of his interactions with Donald Trump are as insightful as they are at times comical. Like many on the world stage, he describes his initial trepidation and fear in dealing with President Trump. Ultimately, however, having “survived” his introduction to Trump, he finds him reasonably predictable and profoundly transactional. In his own inimitable style, he quotes Trump’s view on Nato’s Article 5, Mutual Defence Clause, “If you want full coverage, then you have to pay the full insurance”.
Despite fears around the United States’ commitment to Nato and to her European allies, Stoltenberg reassures the reader that the alliance remains steadfast, but that a period of “Cold War” – expensive and inconvenient – will be necessary to deter an escalation in Russian aggression. In relation to Trump’s new term as president, he reiterates his belief in the US commitment to the transatlantic alliance quoting Trump as follows: “I’m going to tell Nato, you got to start paying your (own) bills.”
For Irish readers, Stoltenberg’s observes that increasing Russian “Gray Zone” or hybrid warfare operations will focus on Europe’s digital critical infrastructure. That means increased interference with and sabotage of the intercontinental oceanic cables that lie in Ireland’s maritime environment. In order to vindicate Ireland’s sovereign neutral status, Stoltenberg’s book reinforces the view that we will have to dramatically redesign and reinvest in Ireland’s maritime, ground, cyber and air defences.
In conclusion, Stoltenberg comes across as a humane and warm human being – a cautious European leader at the helm of Nato in a time of war.
- Tom Clonan is an Independent Senator and a retired captain in the Irish Army
