Whereas Russia has demanded that Ukraine should surrender in the ongoing war, the Western allies on Tuesday vowed to boost NATO’s defences and to back Ukraine to the end.
Western alliance Chief, Jens Stoltenberg, on Tuesday said Finland and Sweden would be formally invited to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) as Turkey lifted its block on the two countries' applications to join the organisation amid the raging Russia-Ukraine war.
Whereas Russia has demanded that Ukraine should surrender in the ongoing war, the Western allies on Tuesday vowed to boost NATO’s defences and to back Ukraine to the end.
Recall that Finland and Sweden had applied to join NATO but Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan had refused to approve their applications despite calls from his NATO allies to clear their path to membership.
However, following extensive deliberation with the leaders of the two Nordic countries in Madrid, Spain on Tuesday, Erdogan dropped his initial opposition to the applications.
A report from Erdogan’s office on Tuesday said the Turkish President had agreed to back the Finland and Sweden applications and that Ankara had “got what it wanted.”
The British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, applauded the agreement between Finland, Sweden and Turkey.
Johnson said that their membership would make the defence alliance “stronger and safer.”
But a senior US official said their membership would be a “powerful shot in the arm” for NATO unity.