Newshub18 :What message is the NATO summit going to convey to the uncertain world?
In a completely changed situation, the conference of the world’s largest military alliance NATO has started. The three-day conference begins on Tuesday in Madrid, Spain. The head of the Western alliance called on member states to increase military spending ahead of the start of key talks. In his words, the world to come is becoming increasingly ‘uncertain and dangerous’. Khabar Al-Jazeera.
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg has called for a “fundamental change” in NATO’s attitude towards defending Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. Preparations for the main discussion of the conference started from last Tuesday. It was announced that two new members, Finland and Sweden, would join the conference. It is through this that the issue of change can be understood.
Russia launched a war against its closest neighbor Ukraine on February 24. As a result, Sweden and Finland moved away from the long-standing alliance neutral position. The two countries announced their intention to join the military alliance.
Rapid Reaction Force is increasing eight times
In addition to welcoming the new member, NATO allies have agreed to increase the strength of the Rapid Reaction Force. The membership of this force is being increased eight times to 40,000 to 300,000. The new members of the force will stay in their own country. However, they will be prepared for a rapid deployment to the eastern part of NATO on the Russian border. The coalition also plans to increase stockpiles of military equipment and ammunition in the region.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said a key plan for the alliance would be drawn up at a key meeting on Wednesday and Thursday in a “more dangerous and uncertain world”. “We need to invest more in the defense sector to be able to defend ourselves in a dangerous world,” he said.Strengthening the defense against Russia is at the top of the leaders’ agenda at the conference. Supporting Ukraine in the fight against Moscow. Both of these tasks require further financial commitment from NATO member states.
NATO’s military spending target is 2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). Out of the 30 members of the alliance, only nine countries have met this target. Spain, the host of the conference, is spending only half of NATO’s target.
The three-day summit in Madrid against the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine war will set the course for the alliance for years to come. This includes NATO’s new strategic vision — setting a decade’s priorities and goals in one step.
A major topic of discussion will be the maximum possible assistance to Ukraine through NATO. Everyone is wary of the real threat that President Vladimir Putin may use to paint the conflict as a Russia-NATO conflict.
Since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, the strength of the fighting forces has already been increased in the Baltic region and four countries in Eastern Europe. These forces will be upgraded to brigade as a further deterrent against Russia advancing towards NATO countries.
China is neither friend nor foe
The member states will also try to bridge the gap on how to deal with China. China is known as a strong ally of Russia. NATO’s new strategic concept paper could highlight the alliance’s position on issues ranging from cyber security to climate change.
China’s growing economic and military influence will also be on the agenda of the conference. At the same time, the growing importance and strength of the Indo-Pacific region and how it can be linked to NATO could also come up in the new strategic concept paper.
For the first time, Japan, Australia, South Korea and New Zealand are attending the NATO conference as guests. But some European members are wary of Beijing’s tough stance on the United States. They do not want China to be made a rival of NATO.
“We do not want to see China as an enemy,” he said last weekBut he said: “Beijing has created some challenges for our values, our interests, our security.”
What Turkey said about Sweden and Finland
Despite initial opposition, Turkey (new name in Turkish) has agreed to make Finland and Sweden members of NATO. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed a joint memorandum of understanding with the leaders of Finland and Sweden on Tuesday. It said full support would be extended to address threats to their own security. In a statement, Finnish President Sauli Ninisto said, “Turkey will support Finland and Sweden’s invitation to join NATO at this week’s Madrid Conference in accordance with the tripartite agreement.”
Earlier, Erdogan insisted that the two Nordic countries would only allow them to join NATO if they changed their position on Kurdish rebels. Ankara considers Kurdish rebels terrorists. The Turkish president’s office said in a statement on Tuesday that “Turkey has received what it wants from Sweden and Finland.” At the same time, it has promised to stop “terrorist propaganda” against Turkey. Finland and Sweden have also agreed not to impose sanctions on Turkey’s defense industry and to increase co-operation