It is the last day of the NATO summit in Madrid. The heads of state and government of the NATO countries have already expanded the alliance by two countries, Sweden and Finland are admitted, the NATO Response Force is restructured and massively increased. And NATO is again naming a clear enemy image.
“NATO’s new strategic concept makes it clear that Russia poses the greatest and most immediate threat to our security.“
-Jens Stoltenberg-
NATO Secretary General
It is about the fight against terrorism and the global food crisis, among other things. Spain, in particular, had urged that the NATO summit also discuss the situation in the alliance’s southern neighbours, as Russia was increasingly present in some countries in the Sahel zone.
UAarmy’s steadily switching to Western weapons and new tactics of using them. rusarmy’s sinking into the Stone Age,but still outnumbers us.We need more weapons! During NATOsummit in Madrid the shelling of peaceful cities continues.@NATO’s able &must act to stop this aggression! pic.twitter.com/DuMP9YEf9L
– Oleksii Reznikov (@oleksiireznikov) June 29, 2022
In addition to pledging to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia „for as long as necessary“, NATO is strengthening its eastern flank. The US will also increase its military presence in Europe.
The long-neutral members Sweden and Finland have always belonged to the West politically, and Finland in particular has long practised connectivity, even without NATO membership.
“Finland has built a strengthened partnership with NATO, bilateral cooperation with the US and with the UK over decades.“
-Sauli Niinisto-
Finnish President
„For a firm defence of our common values, we need partners beyond the Euro-Atlantic area. What applies to NATO, also applies to a larger community. Together we are stronger.“ NATOSummit https://t.co/8NAWy5IaJL
– Sauli Niinistö (@niinisto) June 29, 2022
Although Russia is the focus of the summit because of the war against Ukraine, the Alliance does not see the potential for conflict exclusively in Moscow. To meet the growing challenges posed by a massively rearming and increasingly aggressive China, NATO wants to strengthen partnerships with non-NATO countries.
