Page 7 - Nato Alliance

NATO membership process hasn't stopped, say Finnish, Swedish FMs

The foreign ministers of Sweden and Finland reiterated in separate interviews published Saturday that the process for the two Nordic nations to join NATO is continuing despite Turkey's president saying Sweden shouldn't expect his country to approve its membership. Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrm acknowledged in an interview with Swedish newspaper Expressen that Turkish anger over recent demonstrations and the burning of the Quran in front of the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm had complicated Sweden's NATO accession. To admit new countries, NATO requires unanimous approval from its existing members, of which Turkey is one. Despite this, the Swedish government is hopeful of joining NATO this summer, Billstrm said. It goes without saying that we're looking toward the (NATO) summit in Vilnius, Lithuania's capital, in July, Billstrm told Expressen when asked of the timetable for Sweden's possible accession. Hungary and Turkey are the only countries in the 30-member Western milita

Meaningless to hold meet with Sweden, Finland over NATO accession: Turkey

It is "meaningless" to hold a trilateral meeting with Sweden and Finland to discuss their NATO accession process after recent protests in Stockholm, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has said

Time for Turkey to ratify Finland, Sweden's NATO applications: US

The State Department said Secretary of State Antony Blinken had affirmed resolute support for Finland and Sweden in phone calls with their foreign ministers

EU, NATO set up joint task force to protect critical infrastructure

The European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) have agreed to set up a task force to better protect critical infrastructure and increase resilience

Nato chief fears Russian-Ukraine war could widen into a wider conflict

The head of NATO expressed worry that the fighting in Ukraine could spin out of control and become a war between Russia and NATO, according to an interview released Friday. If things go wrong, they can go horribly wrong, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in remarks to Norwegian broadcaster NRK. It is a terrible war in Ukraine. It is also a war that can become a full-fledged war that spreads into a major war between NATO and Russia, he said. We are working on that every day to avoid that. Stoltenberg, a former prime minister of Norway, said in the interview that there is no doubt that a full-fledged war is a possibility, adding that it was important to avoid a conflict "that involves more countries in Europe and becomes a full-fledged war in Europe. The Kremlin has repeatedly accused NATO allies of effectively becoming a party to the conflict by providing Ukraine with weapons, training its troops and feeding military intelligence to attack Russian forces. Speaking Friday

India stands tall, proud and no one pushes it around: Ruchira Kamboj

"India is a bigger country. It stands tall and proud on its own," she said emphasising its multi-dimensional, independent policy

NATO vows to aid Ukraine against Russia 'for as long as it takes'

NATO is determined to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia for as long as it takes and will help the war-wrecked country transform its armed forces into a modern army up to Western standards, the alliance's Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg vowed on Friday. Speaking to reporters ahead of a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Romania next week, Stoltenberg urged countries that want to, either individually or in groups, to keep providing air defense systems and other weapons to Ukraine. NATO as an organisation does not supply weapons. NATO will continue to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes. We will not back down, the former Norwegian prime minister said. Allies are providing unprecedented military support, and I expect foreign ministers will also agree to step up non-lethal support. Stoltenberg said that members of the 30-nation security organisation have been delivering fuel, generators, medical supplies, winter equipment and drone jamming devices, but that more will

Poland probably hit by Ukrainian missile: NATO Chief Jens Stoltenberg

His remark comes as investigations continue into the blast on Tuesday night on a farm in Przewodow, 6 km from Poland's border with Ukraine

Finnish NATO proposal assesses effects of membership to the alliance

The government says Finland's NATO membership could be approved by a simple majority in Parliament

NATO Chief Stoltenberg urges Turkey to endorse Finland, Sweden accession

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg urged Turkey on Thursday to set aside its reservations over Finland and Sweden's efforts to join the military alliance, insisting the Nordic neighbours have done enough to satisfy Ankara's concerns about their membership. Finland and Sweden applied for membership of the world's biggest security alliance in the months after Russian forces invaded Ukraine in February. In doing so, they abandoned longstanding policies of military nonalignment out of concern that Russian President Vladimir Putin might target them next. But Turkey, which joined NATO in 1952, is still not ready to endorse them after months of trilateral talks. The Turkish government wants them to crack down on individuals it considers terrorists, such as supporters of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party and people suspected of orchestrating a failed 2016 coup in Turkey. Finland and Sweden have delivered on their commitment to Turkey. They have become strong partners in our joint .

We'll fulfil deal with Turkey on NATO, says Sweden's top diplomat

Sweden's center-right government will fulfil all requirements under a deal with Turkey to join NATO and will concentrate external relations to its immediate neighbourhood while dropping the previous administration's feminist foreign policy," the country's top diplomat said on Monday. Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrm said the new government shares Turkey's concern about the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, which is considered a terrorist organisation in Turkey, Europe and the United States. There will be no nonsense from the Swedish government when it comes to the PKK, Billstrm told the Associated Press in an interview. We are fully behind a policy which means that terrorist organisations don't have a right to function on Swedish territory. Turkey stalled Sweden and Finland's historic bid to join NATO over concerns that the two countries - Sweden in particular - had become a safe haven for members of the PKK and affiliated groups. Under a memorandum of understanding signed by Swed

US weighs next moves on arms supply to Ukraine in 'escalatory cycle'

Ukraine will push for still more advanced weaponry when the US convenes a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Brussels today to marshal new support for hardware and supplies

Sweden moves closer to NATO, lifts 2019 arms embargo on Turkey

Would-be NATO member Sweden on Friday announced it will allow exports of arms to Turkey, which had threatened to block the Scandinavian nation's application to join the 30-member defence alliance. The decision means that Sweden, which has sought NATO membership along with neighbouring Finland, will lift an arms embargo it had imposed on Ankara in 2019 after Turkey's military operation against the Kurdish militia known as the YPG in Syria. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had threatened to block the Nordic pair's membership, insisting they change their stance on Kurdish rebel groups that Turkey considers terrorists and lift the arms embargo on Turkey. NATO operates by consensus so Turkey needs to approve. Sweden's application for membership in NATO greatly strengthens the defence and security policy reasons for granting the export of military equipment to other member states, including Turkey, the Inspectorate for Strategic Products, a Swedish administrative authority, said in

G7 finance ministers agree to impose price cap on Russian oil

The ministers from the club of wealthy industrial democracies confirmed their commitment to the plan after a virtual meeting

Prez Biden formalises US support for Finland, Sweden joining NATO

"In seeking to join NATO, Finland and Sweden are making a sacred commitment that an attack against one is an attack against all," Biden said at the signing

The West digs for the next energy battle

The 11-nation partnership to secure critical mineral supplies has the potential to influence future investments and trade flows in energy

US, allies aim to cap Russian oil prices to hinder Ukraine invasion

The Kremlin's main pillar of financial revenue oil has kept the Russian economy afloat despite export bans, sanctions and the freezing of central bank assets

Ahead of G-20 meeting, China slams US, NATO over political conflicts

China launched a scathing attack on the US and NATO on Wednesday, days before a meeting between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Ukraine war: India, China buy Russian oil and gas worth $24 bn in 3 months

China spent $18.9 billion on Russian oil, gas and coal in the three months to the end of May, almost double the amount a year earlier, latest customs data show

Russian forces gaining foothold in pivotal Luhansk province: Governor

Ukrainian fighters have spent weeks trying to defend the city of Lysychansk, and to keep it from falling to Russia, as neighbouring Sievierodonetsk did a week ago