Facing similar situations like Ukraine, amidst threats and warnings from Russia, both nations push to join NATO.
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North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) is a bone of contention between the East and the West. Since the cold war era, the world was divided between two blocks, NATO and Warsaw Pact. Around the same time, NAM also came into being, but could not curb the two nations from being at loggerheads with one another.
Moreover, the cold war era came to an end with the fall of the Berlin wall and the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. The world has progressed since then and we have ushered in a new century, but unfortunately, the ideology dwells in the bygones.
Recently, Ukraine was invaded on the same lines. However, moving forward with their expansion, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) has proposed to include Finland and Sweden, strengthening the west’s military alliance.
The Republicans and Democrats came together, voting 95 to 1,with Senator Josh Hawley opposing the expansion. Amidst retaliation against Sweden and Finland posed by Russia, the U.S. continues to move forward. Furthermore, the 30 members of the alliance must give their consent on the addition of the two nations. While 22 countries have already done so, countries like Turkey pose a threat to the expansion.
Turkey accused both nations of being soft on the Turkish Kurdish exile group. Turkey’s objection could cause trouble in expansion. Further, another amendment was put forth by Senator Dan Sullivan approved during the process which stated that all NATO members should spend at least 2 percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) on defence and 20 percent of their defence budgets on major equipment, including research and development, AP reported.
After the vote, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said in a tweet, “I welcome the Senate’s ratification of @NATO membership for Finland and Sweden. Finland and Sweden are longtime, stalwart partners, and I look forward to a quick and complete ratification by other NATO members as a commitment to Transatlantic security. (sic)”
US President Biden released a press statement, stating, “This historic vote sends an important signal of the sustained, bipartisan US commitment to NATO, and to ensuring our Alliance is prepared to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.”
