By JILL LAWLESS and JOSEPH WILSON MADRID (AP) — Turkey agreed Tuesday to lift its opposition to Sweden and Finland joining NATO, a breakthrough in an impasse clouding a leaders’ summit in Madrid amid Europe’s worst security crisis in decades triggered by the war in Ukraine. After urgent top-level talks, alliance Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said “we now have an agreement that paves the way for Finland and Sweden to join NATO.” Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has prompted Sweden and Finland to abandon their long-held nonaligned status and apply to join NATO. But Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had blocked the move, insisting the Nordic pair change their stance on Kurdish rebel groups that Turkey considers terrorists. Finnish President Sauli Niinistö said the three countries’ leaders signed a joint agreement after talks on Tuesday. Turkey said it had “got what it wanted” including “full cooperation … in the fight against” the rebel groups. The agreement comes at … [Read more...] about Turkey lifting objections to Sweden, Finland joining NATO
When macedonia will join nato
NATO Pledges 300,000 Troops In Biggest Defense ‘Overhaul’ Since Cold War As Ukraine War Enters Fourth Month
Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Topline NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Monday NATO will increase high-readiness troops to “well over 300,000” in what he called the biggest defense “overhaul” since the Cold War, in response to Russia’s continued war in Ukraine. Key Facts Stoltenberg said in a press conference in Brussels Monday NATO plans to provide prepositioned equipment and “stockpiles” of military supplies across Europe, increased air defense, “strengthened command and control” and pre-assigned troops to defend against Russia, as its war in Ukraine entered its fourth month. The pledge represents a 650% increase from the 40,000 troops NATO currently has in its response force. Stoltenberg did not say where the additional troops will be deployed, indicating a plan is set to be devised over NATO’s three-day summit in Madrid, beginning Tuesday. NATO allies consider Russia the “most significant and dire threat” to … [Read more...] about NATO Pledges 300,000 Troops In Biggest Defense ‘Overhaul’ Since Cold War As Ukraine War Enters Fourth Month
G-7 leaders united behind Ukraine, aim at Kremlin oil money
By ZEKE MILLER and GEIR MOULSON ELMAU, Germany (AP) — Leaders of the world’s biggest developed economies said Tuesday they would explore far-reaching steps to cap Russia’s income from oil sales that are financing its invasion of Ukraine and struck a united stance to support Kyiv for “as long as it takes” as the war grinds on. The final statement from the Group of Seven summit in Germany underlined their intent to impose “severe and immediate economic costs” on Russia. It left out key details on how fossil fuel price caps would work in practice, setting up more discussion in the weeks ahead to “explore … the feasibility” of measures to bar imports of Russian oil above a certain level. That would hit a key Russian source of income and, in theory, help relieve the energy price spikes and inflation afflicting the global economy as a result of the war. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to our unprecedented coordination on sanctions for as long as necessary, acting in … [Read more...] about G-7 leaders united behind Ukraine, aim at Kremlin oil money