The group decided to collectively approve the countries ’requests to join after Turkey dropped its objections on Tuesday, paving the way for NATO’s largest enlargement in decades.
“The accession of Finland and Sweden will make them safer, NATO stronger and the Euro-Atlantic area safer. The security of Finland and Sweden is of direct importance to the Alliance, even during the process of accession, “the statement said.
The decision will now go to the parliaments and legislatures of the 30 member states for final ratification. NATO leaders said they hoped the process would move forward quickly, allowing for unprecedented accession and a show of unity against Putin.
“The agreement reached last night by Turkey, Finland and Sweden paved the way for this decision,” the secretary-general told a news conference.
He explained how two rounds of talks between senior officials in Brussels were held under his auspices in the run-up to Monday’s ensuing meeting between Finnish President Sauli Niinistö, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Turkey agreed on Tuesday to drop its objections to its bids for membership, removing a major obstacle to its accession to NATO.
The expansion vote, along with substantial new commitments that bolster NATO’s strong stance in Europe, combined to make this week’s summit in Madrid one of the most productive in recent memory. The result is exactly what Putin hoped to avoid when he invaded Ukraine more than four months ago.
“I said Putin is looking for the Finnishization of Europe. He will get the NATOization of Europe. And that’s exactly what he didn’t want, but exactly what needs to be done to ensure Europe’s security. And I think it’s necessary, “said U.S. President Joe Biden when he arrived at the summit site in Madrid.
Biden announces the strengthening of NATO forces
Biden and his fellow NATO leaders gathered in the Spanish capital to reveal a major strengthening of forces along the alliance’s eastern flank, as Russia’s war in Ukraine shows no signs of slowing down.
Speaking alongside Stoltenberg, Biden listed new troop movements, shipments of equipment and military installations designed to demonstrate the importance of security in the face of Moscow’s aggression.
“The United States and our allies, we will take a step, we are stepping up. We are proving that NATO is more necessary now than ever and is as important as ever,” Biden said.
He said the US would establish a permanent headquarters for the Fifth Army Corps in Poland, maintain an additional 3,000-strong rotation brigade in Romania, improve rotary deployments in the Baltic states, send two more F-35 fighter squadrons in the UK and additional air defense station and other capabilities in Germany and Italy.
“Together with our allies, we will ensure that NATO is prepared to deal with threats from all directions, in all domains, land, air and sea,” Biden said.
The United States did not convey to Russia its plans to strengthen its position of strength in Europe in advance.
“There has been no communication with Moscow about these changes nor is there any requirement to do so,” John Kirby, NSC’s strategic communications coordinator, said after Biden announced the series of measures.
A second official told reporters that the announcements do not violate any agreement between Russia and NATO, which stipulate parameters for troop positioning in Europe.
“The decision to permanently send the command post to the headquarters of the Five Bodies is inconsistent with this commitment and our understanding of NATO’s founding act in Russia,” said Celeste Wallander, Deputy Secretary of Defense. United States for International Affairs.
Zelensky asks what Ukraine needs to do to join NATO
However, although Putin’s goals have failed and the conflict continues, the momentum is favoring Russia at the moment. That has left Biden and his fellow Western leaders this week looking for ways to alter the trajectory of the war.
Despite enthusiasm at the summit for NATO’s two youngest members, another leader – Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky – expressed frustration that his country’s ambitions for NATO had been ignored. , despite being besieged by Russia.
Addressing virtually the NATO summit in Madrid, Zelensky rhetorically asked, “Ukraine has not paid enough” to join the alliance and review its open door policy.
“Is our contribution to the defense of both Europe and the whole of civilization still insufficient?” he asked. “What else is needed then?”
Ukraine has tried unsuccessfully to join NATO for years, hampered by concerns about provoking Russia and other issues related to its government practices.
Speaking after Zelensky’s speech, Stoltenberg said the alliance welcomed the speech.
“Ukraine can count on us for as long as it takes,” Stoltenberg told reporters. He praised Zelensky’s “leadership and courage” and called the Ukrainian leader “an inspiration to all of us.”
The Alliance is stepping up pressure on Russia, but is wary of the effects at home
Already this week, the United States and European nations have imposed new rounds of sanctions on Moscow, banned new imports of its gold and agreed to limit the price of its oil. New rounds of security assistance, including a U.S.-provided missile defense system, have been added to the artillery and ammunition queue flowing into Ukraine.
It remains to be seen whether all this is enough to fundamentally alter the way the war is going. Zelensky told leaders attending the G7 summit in Germany that he wanted their help in organizing a major initiative to win the war by the end of the year. In an interview with CNN’s Jim Sciutto on Wednesday’s “Newsroom,” Kirby rejected the idea that the United States would rely on Zelensky to cede territory to Russia to end the war.
“This victory must be decided by President Zelensky, and he decides what his country will be like. Our job is to make sure he can continue to defend himself,” Kirby said.
Leaders fear that the rising cost of war, seen in rising gas and food prices, could lead to a decline in support for Ukraine in the coming months. A few have warned that fatigue is occurring, which adds to the growing concern that the alliance may be fractured.
“When we agreed to respond, we recognized that there would be some costs for our people, our imposition of sanctions on Russia. But our people have remained united. They have risen and remained strong.” Biden said Tuesday when he met King Philip VI at the Royal Palace in Madrid.
It was during this meeting that Biden received the news that Turkey was leaving its objections to Finland and Sweden’s requests to join NATO, ending a months-long confrontation with the most challenging member of the EU. NATO.
To reach agreement before the summit, Biden hung the prospect of a formal bilateral meeting with Erdogan in a phone call Tuesday morning. Leaders will meet on Wednesday to discuss the countless issues that have caused the relationship between Washington and Ankara to worsen in recent years.
Biden also met jointly with the Prime Minister of Japan and the President of South Korea to focus on the North Korean threat. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and President Yoon Suk Yeol are invited to the NATO summit, but the ties of their countries have recently deteriorated amid disputes over the history of the war, leading to the joint meeting with Biden be a rarity.