North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) leaders declared Russia the biggest threat to the region and pledged to support Ukraine during the Madrid summit until it regained full sovereignty, while Moscow denounced further NATO expansion in Europe.
NATO leaders agree on a new strategic vision for NATO and see Russia as its biggest threat, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said at a news conference on Wednesday.
“China is not our opponent, but we must be aware of the serious challenges it poses,” Stoltenberg said.
Stoltenberg believes that NATO’s partnership with the EU has reached an unprecedented level.
He added that NATO has approved an aid package for Ukraine, which includes securing military equipment and air defense systems, and pledged to continue military and financial aid to Ukraine.
The NATO secretary general also said that NATO leaders had decided to invite Finland and Sweden to become members of the alliance.
Stoltenberg has previously said that NATO leaders will make a “historic decision” on Wednesday to invite Sweden and Finland to join NATO, and believes that the speed at which NATO has issued invitations to the two countries is “unprecedented.”
In his speech at the opening ceremony of the summit, Stoltenberg said that Russia had become a direct threat to NATO’s national security.
On the other hand, European Council President Charles Michel said that the EU and NATO are united in support of Ukraine and its people, and condemned Russia’s war.
Michel stressed that the strategic partnership between the EU and NATO is stronger than ever.
On the other hand, NATO leaders pledged in their summit statement to condemn Moscow’s continued “aggression” against Kyiv and hold Russia responsible for the humanitarian disaster and the food and energy crisis.
NATO leaders also believe that “Russia is the greatest threat to NATO and its security and stability”.
“We will continue to support Ukraine until it restores its full and undamaged sovereignty,” the NATO summit statement said.
“We are a defensive entity that threatens no one, committed to democracy and freedom and the founding charter of the Union,” the statement said.
“We are about to reach a consensus on a new strategic concept for NATO,” Iceland’s foreign minister told Al Jazeera, adding that the United States is a strong and important NATO ally and that its presence is good for all.
The Icelandic foreign minister added that the Russian danger not only affects NATO, the cost of war is very high, and sanctions are needed to influence Russian behavior.
foray into europe
US President Joe Biden announced at the summit that the US would strengthen its military presence in Spain, Poland, Romania, the Baltic states, the UK, Germany and Italy, with the aim of NATO being able to “respond to threats from all directions and all regions, including from Threats by sea, land and air.”
Poland praised Biden’s commitment to build a military base on its soil, and Jakob Kumochi, the Polish president’s foreign affairs policy adviser, told Reuters, “This is the result of long and intense negotiations on this matter, and a very clear signal that the Americans intend to increase, not decrease, their presence in Poland.”
As Poland’s Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Zidach tweeted, “To many, what seemed impossible has become a reality today… We have a permanent American presence in Poland… This is also for Moscow A clear signal.”
Against this backdrop, a senior U.S. official told reporters that the United States had not communicated with Russia about a series of major changes in its military posture in Europe, adding that there was no need to do so.
The official added that NATO’s first new strategic concept since 2010 will refer for the first time to “systemic challenges” posed by China and its growing relationship with Russia.
CNN, citing U.S. officials, reported that Washington intends to keep about 100,000 troops in Europe after Russia’s war with Ukraine. It is reported that there were about 60,000 U.S. troops in Europe before the start of the Russian-Ukrainian war.
U.S. Ground Forces European Unified Command is headquartered in Stuttgart, while Air Combat Command is based at Ramstein Air Force Base, Germany.
U.S. military bases—whether land, air, or naval—are located in countries such as Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Greece, and Bulgaria across continental Europe.
Russia’s position
On the other hand, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that further expansion of NATO would lead to instability and would not bring security to its members, adding that NATO’s aggressive approach to containing Russia would not in any way affect its ability.
Sergey Ryabkov said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the West’s aggressive attempt to impose a world order suited to itself justified the goals of Russia’s military operations in Ukraine.
Sergey Ryabkov added that supplying Ukraine with weapons would prolong military operations and increase the number of victims, while NATO supply of weapons to Ukraine could go to the black market, which would increase crime in Europe.
ukraine war
On the other hand, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed NATO leaders during the summit, saying that Ukraine needs advanced air defense systems and weapons to repel Russian attacks. Zelensky called on NATO leaders to support Ukraine. Russia’s actions reacted strongly.
Zelensky stressed that Russia’s war is not only against Ukraine, but against the whole of Europe.