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U.S. NEWS Thursday 4 augusT 2022

Senate moves to decisive vote adding Sweden, Finland to NATO

By ELLEN KNICKMEYER and ening NATO’s defense
LISA MASCARO posture in the Baltics in par-
Associated Press ticular. Finland is expected
WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen- to exceed NATO’s 2% GDP
ators moved toward what defense spending target
was expected to be an in 2022, and Sweden has
overwhelming, bipartisan committed to meet the 2%
vote Wednesday approv- goal.
ing NATO membership That’s in contrast to many
for Finland and Sweden, of NATO’s newcomers for-
calling expansion of the merly from the orbit of the
Western defensive bloc a Soviet Union, many with
“slam-dunk” for U.S. na- smaller militaries and econ-
tional security and a day of omies. North Macedonia,
reckoning for Russian Presi- NATO’s most recent new-
dent Vladimir Putin over his comer nation, brought an
invasion of Ukraine. active military of just 8,000
Senators invited the am- personnel when it joined in
bassadors of the two Nor- 2020.
dic nations to witness the Senate Majority Leader
debate and the vote, Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.,
a crucial step in open- said he and McConnell
ing a new era for the now had committed to the
30-member North Atlantic country’s leaders that the
Treaty Organization and its Finland’s Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, left, Sweden’s Foreign Minister Ann Linde, right, and Senate would approve the
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg attend a media conference after the signature of the
73-year-old pact of mutual NATO Accession Protocols for Finland and Sweden in the NATO headquarters in Brussels, July 5, ratification resolution “as
defense among the United 2022. fast as we could” to bolster
States and democratic al- Associated Press the alliance “in light of re-
lies in Europe. cent Russian aggression.”
President Joe Biden has rity,” she added. ten aligns his positions with out naming his potential A late-afternoon vote was
sought quick entry for the Senate Minority Leader those of the most ardent Republican rival. expected after debate on
two previously non-militarily Mitch McConnell, who vis- supporters of former Presi- That included arguing the measure and amend-
aligned northern European ited Kyiv earlier this year, dent Donald Trump, has against Hawley’s conten- ments. One amendment
nations. Their candidacies urged unanimous ap- been one of the few to tion that a bigger NATO from Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky.,
have won ratification from proval, and the vote was speak in opposition. Haw- would mean more obliga- would ensure that NATO’s
more than half of the NATO expected to near that. ley took the Senate floor to tions for the U.S. military, the guarantee to defend its
member nations in the Speaking to the Senate, call European security al- world’s largest. Cotton was members does not replace
roughly three months since McConnell cited Finland’s liances a distraction from one of many citing the two a formal role for Congress
the two applied, a pur- and Sweden’s well-funded, what he called the United nations’ military strengths in authorizing the use of
posely rapid pace meant modernizing militaries and States’ chief rival China, including Finland’s experi- military force. Another
to send a message to Rus- their experience working not Russia. ence securing its hundreds from Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-
sia over its six-month-old with U.S. forces and weap- “We can do more in Eu- of miles of border with Alaska, would declare that
war against Ukraine’s West- ons systems, calling it a rope ... devote more re- Russia and its well-trained all NATO members should
looking government. “slam-dunk for national se- sources, more firepower ... ground forces, and Swe- spend a minimum of 2% of
“It sends a warning shot to curity” of the United States. or do what we need to do den’s well-equipped navy their gross domestic prod-
tyrants around the world “Their accession will make to deter Asia and China. and air force. uct on defense and 20% of
who believe free democra- NATO stronger and Amer- We cannot do both,” Haw- They’re “two of the stron- their defense budgets on
cies are just up for grabs,” ica more secure. If any ley said, calling his a “clas- gest members of the alli- major equipment, includ-
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D- senator is looking for a de- sic nationalist approach” ance the minute they join,” ing research and develop-
Minn., said in the Senate fensible excuse to vote no, to foreign policy. Cotton said. ment.”
debate ahead of the vote. I wish them good luck,” Mc- Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkan- U.S. State and Defense de- Sweden and Finland ap-
“Russia’s unprovoked inva- Connell said. sas, like Hawley a possible partment officials consider plied in May, setting aside
sion has changed the way Sen. Josh Hawley, a Mis- 2024 presidential contend- the two countries net “se- their longstanding stance
we think about world secu- souri Republican who of- er, rebutted his points with- curity providers,” strength- of military nonalignment.q