''The main goal of NATO is not to wage war but to prevent war. We are strong because we are united'', NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said at the spring session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly held in Sofia. "NATO is the strongest and most successful alliance in history because it unites us, helps us develop and adapt as the world changes. Today we live in a dangerous world and we must respond to that", said Stoltenberg. "We propose to agree on a greater role in assisting Ukraine. Allies are working on this proposal. Better organization is needed", Stoltenberg said and emphasized that two-thirds of the countries in the alliance already allocate 2% of their GDP to defense spending.

''Ukraine will be weaker if we continue to support the country with half-measures'', said NATO Parliamentary Assembly President Michal Szczerba. ''Ukraine's place is in NATO, and at the NATO Summit in Washington, we must make it clear that Ukraine's membership is on an irreversible path. Half the world holds elections, and autocratic regimes see these elections as targets to attack to make us weaker'', Michal Szczerba noted.

''NATO is a civilizational choice and a guarantor of security. Russia wants to erode European security by increasing its influence in the Western Balkans and the Black Sea region'', caretaker Premier Dimitar Glavchev said before the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. We need a NATO presence in the region, said Dimitar Glavchev.