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A30 world news
Diahuebs 4 augustus 2022

Senate moves to decisive vote adding Sweden, Finland to NATO

chief rival — China, not Rus- in late February. Biden en-
sia. couraged their joining and
welcomed the two countries'
"We can do more in Europe ... government heads to the
devote more resources, more White House in May, stand-
firepower ... or do what we ing side by side with them in
need to do to deter Asia and a signal of U.S. backing.
China. We cannot do both,"
Hawley said, calling his a The U.S. and its European
"classic nationalist approach" allies have rallied with new-
to foreign policy. found partnership in the
face of Russian President
Senate Majority Leader Vladimir Putin's aggression,
Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., strengthening the NATO
said he and McConnell had alliance first formed after
committed to the country's World War II.
leaders that the Senate would
approve the ratification reso- "Enlarging NATO is exactly
lution "as fast as we could" to the opposite of what Putin
bolster the alliance "in light of envisioned when he ordered
recent Russian aggression." his tanks to invade Ukraine,"
(AP) — Senators moved two previously non-militar- urged unanimous approval, Sen. Bob Menendez, a New
toward what was expected ily aligned northern Euro- and the vote was expected A late-afternoon vote was Jersey Democrat and chair-
to be an overwhelming, pean nations. Their candi- to near that. Speaking to the expected after debate on the man of the Senate Foreign
bipartisan vote Wednes- dacies have won ratification Senate, McConnell cited measure and amendments. Relations Committee, said
day approving NATO from more than half of the Finland's and Sweden's well- One amendment from Sen. Wednesday, adding that the
membership for Finland NATO member nations in funded, modernizing mili- Rand Paul, R-Ky., would en- West could not allow Russia
and Sweden, calling ex- the roughly three months taries and their experience sure that NATO's guarantee to "launch invasions of coun-
pansion of the Western de- since the two applied, a pur- working with U.S. forces and to defend its members does tries."
fensive bloc a "slam-dunk" posely rapid pace meant to weapons systems, calling it a not replace a formal role for
for U.S. national security send a message to Russia over "slam-dunk for national se- Congress in authorizing the Biden sent the protocols to
and a day of reckoning for its six-month-old war against curity" of the United States. use of military force. Another the Senate for review in July,
Russian President Vladi- Ukraine's West-looking gov- from Sen. Dan Sullivan, R- launching a notably speedy
mir Putin over his inva- ernment. "Their accession will make Alaska, would declare that process in the typically di-
sion of Ukraine. NATO stronger and America all NATO members should vided and slower-moving
"It sends a warning shot to ty- more secure. If any senator is spend a minimum of 2% of chamber.
Senators invited the ambas- rants around the world who looking for a defensible ex- their gross domestic product
sadors of the two Nordic na- believe free democracies are cuse to vote no, I wish them on defense and 20% of their Each member government in
tions to witness the debate just up for grabs," Sen. Amy good luck," McConnell said. defense budgets on major NATO must give its approval
and the vote, a crucial step Klobuchar, D-Minn., said in Sen. Josh Hawley, a Missouri equipment, including re- for any new member to join.
in opening a new era for the the Senate debate ahead of Republican who often aligns search and development." The process ran into unex-
now 30-member North At- the vote. his positions with those of pected trouble when Turkey
lantic Treaty Organization "Russia's unprovoked inva- the most ardent supporters Sweden and Finland applied raised concerns over adding
and its 73-year-old pact of sion has changed the way we of former President Donald in May, setting aside their Sweden and Finland, accus-
mutual defense among the think about world security," Trump, has been one of the longstanding stance of mili- ing the two of being soft on
United States and democratic she added. few to speak in opposition. tary nonalignment. It was banned Turkish Kurdish exile
allies in Europe. Hawley took the Senate floor a major shift of security ar- groups. Turkey's objections
Senate Minority Leader to call European security alli- rangements for the two coun- still threaten the two coun-
President Joe Biden has Mitch McConnell, who vis- ances a distraction from what tries after neighboring Russia tries' membership.
sought quick entry for the ited Kyiv earlier this year, he called the United States' launched its war on Ukraine

Germany's Scholz says nuclear extension 'could make sense'

(AP) — Chancellor Olaf Democrats and, particularly, Some Greens recently indi- "But nevertheless, it could rate on what exactly might be
Scholz said Wednesday for the third party in the gov- cated a degree of openness make sense," he added, not- acceptable.
that extending the life of ernment, the environmental- to allowing one or more re- ing that regions of Germany
Germany's three remain- ist Greens. A Social Dem- actors to keep running for a vary in the degree to which In this year's first quarter,
ing nuclear reactors be- ocrat-Green government short period with their exist- they have developed renew- nuclear plants accounted for
yond the end of the year launched the nuclear shut- ing fuel rods, if the country able energy sources. The 6% of Germany's electricity
"could make sense," but he down two decades ago, and faces a power supply emer- chancellor cited the ongoing generation and gas for 13%.
didn't commit to the idea. opposition to nuclear power gency. Officials from the "stress test" and didn't elabo-
is central to the Greens' iden- party have stressed that gas
Opposition leaders and the tity. is a factor primarily in pow-
pro-business Free Demo- ering industry and heating
crats, the smallest party in The German government is homes, more than generating
Scholz's coalition govern- awaiting the results of a new electricity, and nuclear power
ment, have increasingly ad- "stress test" on the security of wouldn't help with that.
vocated a rethink of the long- the country's electricity sup-
standing decision to switch ply. The Economy Ministry Asked Wednesday about the
off Germany's last reactors in in mid-July announced a test prospects for potentially
December as worries mount that would factor in a tougher keeping the reactors online,
about the impact of a much- scenario than a previous test, Scholz said "the last three
reduced supply of Russian which found the country's nuclear power plants are rel-
gas. supply assured. evant exclusively for electric-
Results are expected in the ity production, and only for a
The idea of an extension is coming weeks. small part of that."
awkward for Scholz's Social