Biden mentions Kosovo, while supporting Finland and Sweden’s membership in NATO

“Today, I’m proud to welcome and offer strong U.S. support for the applications of the two great democracies and the two close partners, very capable of joining the strongest, most powerful defense alliance in the history of the world. , meet all the conditions Today, there is no doubt that NATO is important, it is effective and it is more necessary than ever. Sweden and Finland are already among our closest partners on a range of issues. Finnish and Swedish troops have served side by side with US and NATO forces in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq. “And Finland and Sweden are already working in coordination with the United States and our allies and other partners to support the courageous people of Ukraine as they defend their freedom against Russian occupation.”

President Biden stressed that the membership of new members in NATO does not pose any threat to anyone, while adding that his administrations will submit reports to the US Congress on both countries, as only within the US, at least two-thirds of the Senate must vote to approve the new member states in the defense alliance. The United States gave its full support Wednesday to Sweden and Finland, vowing to stand by them if threatened by Russia.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says he is confident NATO members will make a quick decision to welcome Finland and Sweden into the alliance.

“We are in close contact with Finland, Sweden and Turkey, as well as with all allies. Of course we are addressing the concerns expressed by Turkey because when an ally, an important ally as Turkey raises security concerns, then of course, the only way to deal with this is to sit down and find ways to find a basis “and an agreement on how to move forward.”

Turkey has threatened to veto their applications, accusing the two Nordic countries of harboring Kurdish militants it considers terrorists.

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