ON MY WATCH: LEADING NATO IN A TIME OF WAR
BY JENS STOLTENBERG
NOVEMBER 11, 2025
PUBLISHER: W.W. NORTON & COMPANY
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From the former secretary general of NATO, an honest and candid account of a dramatic decade as the leader of the world’s most important military alliance.
When Jens Stoltenberg took office as secretary general of NATO in 2014, the world was already changing. What followed was a decade marked by war, diplomatic crises, and decisions that helped shape the West’s shared security.
On My Watch takes readers behind closed doors and offers rare insight into how the world’s most powerful military alliance handles crises. Stoltenberg describes the effort to keep NATO united and addresses key issues, such as the war in Ukraine, NATO’s withdrawal from Afghanistan, relations with Russia and China, and cooperation with world leaders including Angela Merkel, Donald Trump, and Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
This is not a book about division. It is a story of unity, of friendship—and of why NATO still matters. Through his reflections on disagreements and dilemmas, he offers a unique view into the art of diplomacy and the hard choices that must be made when global peace is at stake. He ultimately shows why openness is essential to preserve cohesion—and to face the challenges of tomorrow.
Indigo / Amazon
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On My Watch as reviewed by Andrew Moravcsik for Foreign Affairs – March / April 2026
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On My Watch as reviewed by Robert Wihtol for Australian Strategic Policy Institute – November 20, 2025
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Jens Stoltenberg with Donald Trump in 2019. Photograph: Shealah Craighead/The White House
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About the book:
On My Watch: Leading NATO in a Time of War
by Jens Stoltenberg
W.W. Norton & Company – 476 pages $31.60 (Kindle)
Publication Date: November 11, 2025
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About the Author: Jens Stoltenberg
Jens Stoltenberg was born in Oslo on 16 March 1959. He spent his childhood years abroad, with his diplomat father, mother and two sisters.
Mr Stoltenberg holds a postgraduate degree in Economics from the University of Oslo. After graduating in 1987, he started work in Statistics Norway.
While Mr Stoltenberg was Prime Minister, Norway’s defence spending increased steadily, with the result that Norway is today one of the Allies with the highest per capita defence expenditure. Mr Stoltenberg has also been instrumental in transforming the Norwegian armed forces, through a strong focus on deployable high-end capabilities. Under his leadership, the Norwegian Government has contributed Norwegian forces to various NATO operations.
Mr Stoltenberg is a strong supporter of enhanced transatlantic cooperation, including better burden-sharing across the Atlantic. He sees NATO and the EU as complementary organisations in terms of securing peace and development in Europe and beyond.
Mr Stoltenberg has had a number of international assignments. These include chairing the UN High-level Panel on System-wide Coherence and the High-level Advisory Group on Climate Change Financing. He was also UN Special Envoy on Climate Change.
Mr Stoltenberg is married to Ingrid Schulerud. Together they have two grown-up children.
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