NATO

NATO Foreign Ministers met in Berlin on Sunday (15 May 2022) to discuss the possible membership application of Finland and Sweden as well as to reaffirm ...

Europe and North America are solidly united. “President Putin wants Ukraine defeated, NATO down and Europe and North America divided. NATO Foreign Ministers met in Berlin on Sunday (15 May 2022) to discuss the possible membership application of Finland and Sweden as well as to reaffirm NATO’s support for Ukraine in the wake of Russia’s brutal invasion.

Finland changed its policy toward the military alliance after troops invaded Ukraine. Sweden has avoided all military alliances, but like Finland, ...

But the invasion changed Kaipia's mind. "I always thought myself being a pacifist, and NATO for me was part of the militarization of the world," said Jouni Kaipia, an architect and a photographer, after attending a rally in Helsinki to support Ukraine. HELSINKI, Finland – The leaders of Finland and Sweden have announced that they back their countries applying to join NATO in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Soldiers from Sweden's Gotland regiment on patrol. Photo: In Sweden, the governing Social Democrats said they backed joining the security alliance, paving the ...

Turkey has not provided proof that these communities have links with the PKK. A formal application is likely within days. She also said Sweden would be left in a "vulnerable position" if it was the only country in the Baltic region that was not a Nato member. "For us Social Democrats, it is clear that the military non-alignment has served Sweden well, but our conclusion is that it won't serve us as well in the future," she added. In Sweden, the governing Social Democrats said they backed joining the security alliance, paving the way for the country to apply. Sweden and Finland have confirmed they will apply for Nato membership in a historic move that comes as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Finland changed its policy toward the military alliance after troops invaded Ukraine. Sweden has avoided all military alliances, but like Finland, ...

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Finland, which shares a border with Russia, changed its policy toward the military alliance after troops invaded Ukraine.

But the invasion changed Kaipia's mind. "I always thought myself being a pacifist, and NATO for me was part of the militarization of the world," said Jouni Kaipia, an architect and a photographer, after attending a rally in Helsinki to support Ukraine. HELSINKI, Finland – The leaders of Finland and Sweden have announced that they back their countries applying to join NATO in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

It's a historic move for the Nordic countries, which are known for their policies of military neutrality.

Finland and Sweden have both been reviewing their security policies following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which showed the Kremlin is willing to attack a neighboring nation. Last week, Russia's foreign ministry said Finland joining NATO would be a "radical change" in the country's foreign policy. Finland shares an 830-mile border with Russia; if it joins the military alliance, the land border that Russia shares with NATO territories would roughly double. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has deteriorated the security situation for Sweden and Europe as a whole," Ann Linde, Sweden's foreign affairs minister, said on Twitter. Marin said Finland has been in close contact with NATO and its members over the decision. - Finland shares an 830-mile border with Russia; if it joins the military alliance, the land border that Russia shares with NATO territories would roughly double.

Finland, which shares a border with Russia, changed its policy toward the military alliance after troops invaded Ukraine.

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Finnish leaders say shift in wake of Russian action is not just in politics but also in people's minds.

Nato chief says Russia's Donbas offensive has stalled, while UK intelligence says invasion force has lost a third of its strength.

Ukrainian troops received a morale boost from the country’s win in the Eurovision song contest on the weekend, with some saying it was a sign of battlefield victories to come. “We could not bury them because of the shelling. “I was in the kitchen when the smoke appeared,” one resident named Natalya said. Ukraine’s military said its troops had repelled 17 attacks on Sunday and destroyed 11 pieces of Russian equipment. Reuters was not able to independently confirm the reports. Russia has attacked positions in eastern Ukraine as it tries to encircle Ukrainian forces in the Donbas and fend off a counteroffensive around the city of Izium.

Sweden's Prime Minister says Russia only has itself to blame to more countries wanting to join the military alliance, saying: "The Kremlin has shown that ...

The plan to join the alliance will be discussed in Sweden's parliament on Monday, and Ms Andersson's cabinet will make an announcement later in the day. Mr Stoltenberg also said the alliance would increase its presence in the Baltic region to deter Russian threats. - The plan to join the alliance will be discussed in Sweden's parliament on Monday

Formal application to defense alliance could come as soon as Monday. NATO Summit 2014 in Newport. Sweden's official bid to join ...

Last week, a Swedish parliamentary report on the country’s security strategy suggested that NATO membership would “raise the threshold for military conflicts,” a position Social Democrat Foreign Minister Ann Linde repeated when she presented the report’s findings on Friday. Sweden has avoided all military alliances for more than two centuries, with national luminaries like former Prime Minister Olof Palme famously heralding the way his country’s military independence allowed it to be a force for peace in the world. Sweden’s governing Social Democrat Party on Sunday backed the idea of the country joining NATO in a historic policy U-turn that clears the way for a formal membership application in the coming days.

Sweden will send diplomats to Turkey to try to overcome Ankara's objections to its plan to join Nato, Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist says, with a formal ...

Sweden's parliament will hold a debate on Sweden's membership application tomorrow, a formality as there is already a broad majority for an application. "I'm confident that we will be able to address the concerns that Turkey has expressed in a way that doesn't delay the membership," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Sunday. Any decision on Nato enlargement requires approval by all 30 members of the alliance and their parliaments, but diplomats said Erdogan would be under pressure to yield as Finland and Sweden would greatly strengthen Nato in the Baltic Sea.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said Turkey is not “favorable” toward Finland and Sweden joining NATO, but he has not ruled it out.

Moscow tells Nordic pair there will be 'far-reaching consequences' as both parliaments begin debating issue.

Nato and the US have both said they were confident Turkey would not hold up Sweden’s accession. While 85% of Finland’s 200 MPs back membership, 150 have requested to speak and a vote was not expected on Monday. “I’m confident we will be able to address the concerns Turkey has expressed in a way that doesn’t delay the membership,” Stoltenberg said on Sunday. “Our goal is to be amongst the first countries to be able to ratify the accession of Sweden and Finland, because we know that the interim period between the accession demand and the ratification must be shortened,” she said. She added: “Unfortunately, we have no reason to believe the current trend [of Russia’s actions] will be reversed in the foreseeable future.” A formal Swedish government decision to join the alliance is expected later on Monday. Ryabkov added that the two Nordic nations “should have no illusions that we will simply put up with it”, warning that the move was “another grave mistake with far-reaching consequences” and the “general level of military tension will increase”.

With Finland and Sweden both announcing their bids to join the Western military alliance NATO on Sunday, all eyes are on how Russia will react.

It will depend on what, in practical terms, will be the result of the expected accession of Finland and Sweden to the alliance. Russia has justified its invasion of Ukraine in large part on the false premise that NATO is fighting a proxy war against it, in Ukraine. Russia still holds a powerful card in this area because it has traditionally accounted for around 40% of the EU's gas imports. "Of course there will continue to be airspace violations, just like there are over other NATO countries, but we're a defensive alliance and we're going to react coolly and professionally. With Sweden and Finland's latest move to join NATO, experts believe the alliance should prepare itself for more provocations from Russia. Russian provocations of NATO are nothing new.

On Tuesday, 17 May 2022, the NATO Secretary General, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg, will participate in a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council (Defence) of the ...

On Tuesday, 17 May 2022, the NATO Secretary General, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg, will participate in a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union (EU). On Tuesday, 17 May 2022, the NATO Secretary General, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg, will participate in a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council (Defence) of the European Union (EU). NATO Secretary General to participate in a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council

The two Nordic nations had long kept the military alliance at an arm's length, even while eying Russia to their east with caution. But Moscow's assault on ...

He added that Russia's reaction would depend on "how far and how close to our borders the military infrastructure will move." Russia currently shares about 755 miles of land border with five NATO members, according to the alliance. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February, public support for joining NATO in Finland has leaped from around 30% to nearly 80% in some polls. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that "NATO expansion does not make the world more stable and secure" after the announcement. , Russia attempted to demand security guarantees from NATO that the alliance stop expanding eastward. The term was coined during the Cold War and has been applied to other countries in which a superpower exerts control over smaller neighboring states. "There's going to be preparations for contingencies as part of deterring any adventures that the Russians might be thinking of," Bildt said. While an independent nation, Sweden's geography puts it in the same "strategic environment" as its liberal democratic neighbors, Bildt said. The point of the treaty, and Article 5 specifically, was to deter the Soviets from attacking liberal democracies that lacked military strength. Article 5 guarantees that the resources of the whole alliance -- including the massive US military -- can be used to protect any single member nation, such as smaller countries who would be defenseless without their allies. Former Swedish leader Carl Bildt told CNN he doesn't see new big military bases being built in either country should they join NATO. He said that joining the alliance would likely mean more joint military training and planning between Finland, Sweden and NATO's 30 current members. But NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg attempted to allay concerns about Turkey's stance, saying Sunday the country "has made it clear that their intention is not to block membership."

Sweden's Prime Minister said she sees “a historic change in our country's security policy line” as the country eyes NATO membership.

They made a surprise stop Saturday in Ukraine’s capital to express solidarity in the fight against the Kremlin. “The goal of the United States is to do it as rapidly as possible,” McConnell said. Not unanimous, but very significant,” the longtime NATO supporter said. The Scandinavian country has no nuclear weapons of its own. “Sweden is best defended within NATO,” Andersson said. In Helsinki, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said Monday that there is “very significant” support in the Congress and he expects swift ratification, adding that the two Nordic countries will “bring a great deal to the NATO alliance.”

Finland and Sweden's decisions to join the military alliance may increase the chance of confrontation, Russia says.

It is a shame that common sense is being sacrificed to some phantom provision about what should be done in this unfolding situation,” Ryabkov said. Russia has given few clues about what it will do in response to the Nordic enlargement of NATO, saying merely there would be a “military-technical response”. Decisions by Finland and Sweden to join the Western military alliance threaten to increase the chance of armed confrontation, Russian official says.

Sweden overnight decided to join neighbouring Finland in seeking NATO membership, ending more than two centuries of military nonalignment in a historic ...

After being firmly against NATO membership for decades, public opinion in both countries shifted following Russia's Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine, with record levels of support for joining the alliance. “They thought they could scare Sweden and Finland and drive a wedge between us and our neighbours and allies. They no longer see themselves as neutral after joining the European Union in 1995, but have remained nonaligned militarily until now. “We cannot rule out that Sweden will be exposed to, for instance, disinformation and attempts to intimidate and divide us.” “The Russian leadership thought they could bully Ukraine and deny them and other countries self-determination," Kristersson said. Sweden's move came a day after the governing Social Democratic party endorsed a plan for the country to join the trans-Atlantic alliance and Finland's government announced that it would seek to join NATO.

The cyber side of conflict has become a prominent topic in recent years, and Russia's invasion of Ukraine has made the discussion of this topic all the more ...

In order to do this, NATO must identify and prioritise infrastructure for protection, as well as criteria and policy for action. The dominance of the US, the UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, known in government as the FVEY, or Five-Eyes, highlights the urgent need for the alliance to develop policy addressing the collective defence of NATO members. The interconnectedness of European critical infrastructure, as illuminated by the Russian ViaSat communications attack impacting German wind power generation and distribution, highlights the requirement for NATO to address cyberspace as the critical domain it is. To fulfill this role in kinetic as well as non-kinetic realms, NATO must be prepared for hybrid forms of warfare and present slated to join the alliance a cohesive and tailored response to transgressions. Following the shortcomings of the 2015 United Nations Group of Governmental Experts report on information and telecommunications in the context of national security, a lack of consensus continues to exist on the severity of cyberspace operations targeting critical infrastructure requiring collective and even national responses. In light of developments such as these, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) should consider and create policy for collective cyber defence, and potentially offense, under Article 5 of the NATO Charter.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Finland and Sweden's bids to join NATO posed no direct threat to Russia, but warned the Western military alliance ...

“Therefore, in this sense, expansion on account of these countries does not pose a direct threat to Russia.” Ending more than half a century of military neutrality, Finland said on Sunday that it would apply to join NATO in the face of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. “This is a historic day — a new era begins,” Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said. But Putin warned there would be consequences if the military alliance moved weapons into the territory of the two countries.

If both countries join the 30-member security bloc, NATO forces may be right next to the Finnish-Russian border.

“We believe Sweden needs the formal security guarantees that come with membership in NATO.” “Once again, it all makes me think that Putin is a German spy. “The best thing for the security of Sweden and the Swedish people is to join NATO,” Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said hours later. “This represents both a historic shift of the traditional Swedish security policy of military non-alignment at the same time as it is a continuation of a policy of collaboration and solidarity under way in the past 30 years,” she told Al Jazeera. The invasion “demonstrated to the Swedish public and politicians that there was a clear difference between membership and a close partnership with NATO,” said Eva Hagström Frisell, a deputy research director at the Swedish Defence Research Agency, a think-tank in Stockholm. In February, he said that his country’s “special operation” against Ukraine was a preemptive move to terminate NATO’s “endless” expansion in Russia’s former stomping ground – Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.

The Turkish president is unlikely to veto Nordic membership of NATO – but Turkey's bigger strategic worry is of a NATO-Russia conflict arising out of the ...

Senior Turkish officials are quietly concerned that the conflict is now turning into a NATO-Russia war and that the risk of escalation is growing, fuelled by greater arms support for Ukraine and the absence of a negotiations framework. Swedish foreign policy’s focus on human rights, gender equality, and diversity is almost anathema to the male-dominated, conservative political culture in Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party. Within the European Union, Swedes have championed a human rights-based approach in relations with Turkey – which has annoyed Ankara for years. For the past few years, Ankara has criticised NATO for failing to be a reciprocal love-match, a relationship that overlooks Turkey’s security concerns despites the country’s decades of loyalty to the alliance. Turkey views the US-allied Kurdish administration in northern Syria, dominated by the Syrian Democratic Forces, as an offshoot of the PKK and a threat on its southern border. It is unlikely that Erdogan had one specific policy goal in mind, but he will no doubt be expecting to be cajoled, persuaded, and eventually rewarded for his cooperation, as in the past. This was an obstacle in an otherwise well-choreographed Nordic march into NATO. Was Erdogan trying to put pressure on the US Congress for those F-16s that Ankara wants to purchase?

Russia warns of response if alliance sites military equipment on new territories and Turkey objections remain hurdle.

On Friday (13 May 2022), university students presented innovative solutions to real-life problems faced by Allied militaries as part of the “Hacking for ...

The teams were mentored and coached by experts from NATO and Allied operational and technology communities. Innovators tackled real-life problems including developing secure ways to share information on cyber threats during operations and making ships safer by leveraging Artificial Intelligence for damage control processes. University students from Allied and partner countries are contributing to a variety of projects and initiatives.

Swedish PM announces the decision to join the military alliance in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Any decision on NATO enlargement requires approval by all 30 members of the alliance and their parliaments. Turkish state broadcaster TRT Haber said on Monday that Sweden and Finland had not granted approval for the repatriation of 33 people that Turkey requested. Military non-alignment has been a central tenet of Swedish national identity for two centuries.

A group of NATO allies have offered Finland and Sweden interim security guarantees after the two Nordic countries announced they intend to join the alliance ...

Norway, Denmark, and Iceland—all NATO members—issued a joint statement in support of Sweden and Finland’s decision, pledging to support the two countries’ rapid accession into the alliance and aid them against any possible retaliatory action. Norway, Denmark, and Iceland—all NATO members—issued a joint statement in support of Sweden and Finland’s decision, pledging to support the two countries’ rapid accession into the alliance and aid them against any possible retaliatory action. Once Helsinki and Stockholm have submitted their applications, the decision moves to the North Atlantic Council, the alliance’s principal decision-making body, for consideration. Finland’s and Sweden’s accession into the alliance is expected to move briskly. He also cited Sweden and Finland’s 2019 decision to put an arms embargo on Turkey over its incursion into Syria. Several European officials who spoke to Foreign Policy on condition of anonymity speculated that this could be a blunt negotiating feint from Erdogan, and they anticipated Turkey would ultimately support Finland and Sweden joining NATO after diplomatic negotiations. Other Russian officials have been less discreet, with the deputy chair of the Russian parliament’s defense committee warning that Moscow could strike the United Kingdom and Finland using its RS-28 Sarmat nuclear-capable hypersonic missile. Finland and Sweden, which have for decades adhered to a policy of military nonalignment, rapidly reversed their policies after Russia’s massive invasion of Ukraine in February sent shock waves throughout Europe. Several lawmakers who have opposed NATO expansion in the past, including Sens. Rand Paul and Mike Lee, could delay the Senate process, but adding both new members ultimately has widespread bipartisan support. “Finland and Sweden’s security is a matter of common concern to us all,” they said in the joint statement. Some Finnish officials believe Russia is too politically and militarily overstretched in Ukraine to focus on interrupting Finland’s path to NATO membership. Finland and Sweden, which have for decades adhered to a policy of military nonalignment, rapidly reversed their policies after Russia’s massive invasion of Ukraine in February sent shock waves throughout Europe. Last week, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson also signed similar security agreements with both countries and vowed to back them in the event of a possible attack.

Russia may have a muted response to Finland and Sweden's decision to seek NATO membership despite earlier threats of retaliation, President Vladimir Putin ...

“Taking control of Ukraine is [an] essential part of the story.” The weapons: Ukraine is making use of weapons such as Javelin antitank missiles and Switchblade “kamikaze” drones, provided by the United States and other allies. “They may adjust their plans given the situation of the resources and other risks. “But there’s no discussion of posting troops in Sweden or Finland. We are really taking care of our own security as much as we can.” It’s a sovereign Swedish decision,” Karin Olofsdotter, Sweden’s ambassador to the United States, said in an interview. “So if others need help, I think it’s totally clear that Finland … is going to be there to help them.” But there’s a need to be prudent here,” he said. Ukraine’s deputy defense minister, Anna Malyar, said more than 260 soldiers have been transported to Russian-controlled territory, including 53 who were “seriously wounded” and taken to a hospital. “But the expansion of military infrastructure into this territory will certainly provoke our response.” Finland, like Sweden, has long conducted joint exercises with NATO and sent troops to NATO-led missions in Afghanistan and other areas. “We are leaving one era behind us and entering a new one,” Andersson said. Putin spoke as Sweden’s government on Monday announced it would join neighboring Finland in launching a NATO bid, a process that alliance officials hope will be concluded in coming months.

A recent Facebook post warns that World War III is looming "as Finland joins NATO." On May 15, Finland's prime minister.

Finland has not yet formally applied to join NATO, and Turkey could block its membership. It could then take around six months for member countries to ratify the accession protocol, NPR reported. But we are basically raising the issue as a matter of national security for Turkey."

President Erdogan says delegations from the NATO-seeking countries 'shouldn't bother' coming to Ankara for discussions.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday stated that Sweden and Finland would be able to join NATO despite Turkey’s concerns. Turkey may be aiming to obtain military equipment from Washington to upgrade its outdated F-16 fleet and ratchet up some Western support to relieve its troubled economy. Excuse us, but they shouldn’t bother”. He added that NATO would become “a place where representatives of terrorist organisations are concentrated” if the two countries join.

EXPLAINER: Nato is the world's most successful military alliance, central both to the West's success in the Cold War and to securing the European order that ...

Even so, at a time when Russia is accusing Nato of waging a proxy war against it, and is rattling the nuclear sabre, the accession process creates a period of vulnerability when an applicant state may face retaliation or harassment by Russia but is not formally covered by Article 5. Nato officials expect the process for Finland and Sweden will be much faster. The most explicit came from Britain, which on May 11 exchanged letters with both Sweden and Finland promising to help them if they were attacked. But with the accession of post-Franco Spain in 1982, Nato membership became more entwined with the democratisation of Europe, especially after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Accession has thus developed into a more formal process with accepted norms. Given that they are mature democracies, and highly interoperable with Nato, accession is expected to be quick. Nato would then draw up accession protocols which can be signed by ministers, or ambassadors to Nato. It does not define “European”, nor does it say what the members’ contribution ought to be. Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic acceded in 1999. Two sets of problems have slowed Nato enlargement in recent years. For many countries Nato membership became, in effect, a step towards EU membership. Yet it has expanded greatly over the decades, growing from the original 12 allies in 1949 to 30 today. There are few treaty rules to joining the alliance.