United States (US) President, Joe Biden, has announced that Sweden and Finland have the “full, total and complete backing” of the US in their decision to apply for NATO membership.
The announcement made by Mr. Biden came after both countries submitted their application bids on Wednesday, May 18, 2022, to be part of the Western Defence alliance, marking a major shift in European geopolitics. To join the alliance, the two nations need the support and approval of all 30 NATO member states. But the move by the Nordic nations has been opposed by Turkey.
Speaking alongside Swedish Prime Minister, Magdalena Andersson, and Finnish President, Sauli Niinisto, at the White House on Thursday (May 19, 2022) evening, Mr. Biden called Sweden and Finland’s applications “a watershed moment in European security”. Mr. Biden pointed out that “New members joining NATO is not a threat to any nation”, adding that having two new members in the “high north” would “enhance the security of our allies and deepen our security co-operation across the board”.
Concerns by Turkey
Russia has repeatedly stressed that it sees NATO as a threat and warned of “consequences” if the block proceeds with its expansion plans.
Turkey accused both Sweden and Finland of hosting suspected militants from the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a group it viewed as a terrorist organisation. But both NATO Secretary-General, Jens Stoltenberg, and British Defence Minister, Ben Wallace, expressed confidence that the concerns raised by Turkey will eventually be addressed.
Mr. Biden’s comments on the backing of Sweden and Finland came as the US Senate voted to approve a new $40bn (£32bn) bill to provide military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine. The amount, $40bn, is the biggest emergency aid package so far for Ukraine.
Spending Oversight Vs Purpose
The bill, which was passed by the House of Representatives with broad bipartisan support on May 10, 2022, was expected to be passed earlier this week, but it was blocked by Kentucky Republican, Rand Paul, over a dispute about spending oversight. The decision by Senator Paul is on the basis that the huge sum ($40bn) is more than what the US spent on many domestic programmes, and for that reason, it will deepen federal deficits, which will also lead to worsening inflation in the country. But the Republican’s Senate Leader, Mitch McConnell, dismissed the concerns by Mr. Paul, and disclosed to reporters that Congress has a “moral responsibility” to support “a sovereign democracy’s self-defence”.
Mr. McConnell said, “Anyone concerned about the cost of supporting a Ukrainian victory should consider the much larger cost should Ukraine lose”.
Last week, Defence Secretary, Lloyd Austin, and US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken urged Congress to approve the package and warned that the US military only had enough funds to send weapons to Kyiv until May 19, 2022. Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, praised the aid package as “a significant US contribution to the restoration of peace and security in Ukraine, Europe and the world”.
The package brings the total US aid delivered to Ukraine to more than $50bn, including $6bn for security assistance such as training, equipment, weapons and support. Another $8.7bn will be allocated to replenish stocks of US equipment already sent to Ukraine.
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