Jens Stoltenberg has called off a series of in-person meetings in Germany and Romania
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg © AFP / Saul Loeb
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg suddenly canceled his visit to Berlin on Thursday, just hours before he was due to arrive in the German capital. The military alliance boss has developed shingles, according to his office.
Stoltenberg was scheduled to visit Berlin for talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht as part of preparations for a NATO summit to take place in Madrid, Spain on June 29-30.
Other topics planned for discussion were Russia’s ongoing military operation in Ukraine and its effect on Euro-Atlantic security; as well as the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO.
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Early on Thursday, however, the NATO boss informed the authorities in Berlin that he would not be coming for the high-profile talks, the German Defense Ministry said.
A NATO official later told the German media that Stoltenberg had been diagnosed with shingles, which was a complication following his recent Covid-19 infection.
Shingles is a viral infection that usually causes a single stripe of blisters on one side of the torso. The disease isn’t life-threatening, but the rash it causes can be very painful.
Stoltenberg will be forced to work from home due to his condition. The 63-year-old’s planned meetings in Germany and Romania will now be conducted remotely, the official said.
