NATO, the world’s largest and most powerful military alliance, has called Russia the biggest “direct threat” to Western security since the invasion of Ukraine.
World leaders have gathered in Spain, with talks focused on the Kremlin invasion and Beijing’s growing international ambitions.
As part of the two-day summit, a new strategic concept was introduced that sets out the focus areas of the alliance and is updated approximately once a decade.
Here’s what you may have missed.
NATO supports military aid to the “heroic” Ukraine
NATO has accepted plans to modernize the besieged armed forces in Kyiv, saying it is totally behind the “heroic defense of their country” by the Ukrainians.
U.S. President Joe Biden announced more ground, sea, and air force deployments across Europe from western Spain to Romania and Poland on the border with Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Britain said it would provide another £ 1bn ($ 1.7bn) in military support, including air defense systems, unmanned aerial vehicles and new electronic warfare equipment.
“President Putin’s war against Ukraine has shattered peace in Europe and created the biggest security crisis in Europe since World War II,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said at a conference press.
In a look at deteriorating relations with Russia since the invasion, a NATO statement also called Russia “the most significant and direct threat to Allied security.”
Russia sends its own warning
Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to search, up and down arrows for volume. Clock duration: 1 minute 28 seconds 1m 28s Finland and Sweden officially invited to NATO
When world leaders met, Russian President Vladimir Putin fired his own salvo, warning Finland and Sweden that if they welcomed NATO troops and military infrastructure into their territory, Russia would respond in the same way.
The two previously non-aligned Baltic countries were formally invited on Wednesday to join the Western military alliance.
Putin said Russia will have to “create the same threats to the territory from which the threats against us are created.”
Read more about the Russian invasion of Ukraine:
NATO “clears” the “serious challenges” facing China
For the first time, Beijing was mentioned in the NATO strategic concept, which sets out the focus areas of the alliance.
He said China’s “stated ambitions and coercive policies are challenging our interests, security and values” and accused the nation of using malicious hybrid and cyber operations, confrontational rhetoric and misinformation to attack NATO allies. and jeopardize NATO security.
China denies any such tactics.
The paper also talks about China’s economic ambitions, stating that Beijing sought to control key technology and industrial sectors, critical infrastructure and strategic materials and supply chains.
“We are now facing an era of strategic competition. China is substantially increasing its forces, even in nuclear weapons, intimidating its neighbors, including Taiwan,” Stoltenberg said.
“China is not our adversary, but we need to have our eyes clear on the serious challenges it poses.”
ABC / children