Finland, Sweden “important additions” to NATO
WASHINGTON (AP) – Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said this on Sunday Finland and Sweden would be “important additions” to NATO as he led a delegation of GOP senators to the region in a demonstration of support for Russia’s aggression.
McConnell also called on President Joe Biden to appoint Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism because of its invasion of Ukraine.
When he spoke to reporters from Stockholm, McConnell said so Finland and Swedenunlike some members of the Western Alliance, would likely be in a position to pay their NATO obligations and would offer significant military resources.
“They will be important additions to NATO, if they choose to join,” he said, adding, “I think the United States should be first in line to ratify the treaty for both of these countries to join.”
McConnell is a longtime NATO supporter, and his trip to the Nordic countries with Republican sensors Susan Collins from Maine, John Barrasso from Wyoming and John Cornyn from Texas follows their surprise stop on Saturday in Ukraine’s capital to express solidarity in the fight against the Kremlin.
McConnell was in Sweden while leading diplomats from the 30 NATO member states met in Berlin to discuss providing more support to Ukraine and measures by Finland, Sweden and others to join NATO in the face of threats from Russia.
Several hours after Finland’s announcement that it would seek to join NATO, the Swedish ruling party also approved becoming an alliance member, a move that could lead to the country’s application within a few days.
Finnish President Sauli Niinisto’s office said US lawmakers would meet with the president to discuss Finland’s NATO membership, the Ukraine war and other issues. McConnell’s office confirmed the visit.
But NATO member Turkey is “not in favor” of these two additionssaid Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday, complicating the effort to strengthen the alliance as a deterrent to Russia.
The high-level meetings come when Congress is working to approve $ 40 billion in military aid to Ukraine, a significant infusion of aid to the region. The measure includes $ 6 billion to Ukraine for intelligence, equipment and training for its forces, plus $ 4 billion in funding to help Ukraine and NATO allies build their military.
The latest round of support would push US support for Ukraine over $ 50 billion, which has raised concerns from some conservative Republicans in the party’s isolationist wing who are wary of the price of foreign spending. The move stayed in the Senate due to the objection of Senator Rand Paul, R-Ky., But McConnell is determined to make it pass in the coming week.
“We will get the job done,” McConnell told reporters at a conference call.
Foreign Minister Antony Blinken reiterates that the United States would “strongly support” Finland and Sweden if they formally apply for NATO. (Source: CNN)
McConnell said it was in the US interest to support Ukraine when he deleted criticism from some other Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, about the level of spending. It is a resurgence of the isolationist “America First” attitude to foreign policy by a faction of the Republican Party.
McConnell said he told Zelenskyy that there was a lot of bipartisan support in Congress to help Ukraine. “This is not a charity we’re involved in here,” McConnell said. “This is to prevent this group of thugs from starting a march through Europe.”
Asked about a resolution passed by the Senate to designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism, McConnell said he supported it. But he also said that Biden could explain it on his own, without congressional action.
“I would encourage him to do that,” McConnell told reporters.
McConnell could not say whether the latest aid package would be the last before the November election. Expenditure on Ukraine has been a simmering campaign issue for some Republican candidates.
Helsinki Civil Defense Emergencies can protect the entire population when needed. (Source: CNN)
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Who has already pushed aid through the House with two-party votes, told CNN’s “State of the Union” about Senate Republicans: a promise. We approved the bill. “
Zelensky said in his video on Saturday after the meeting with the Republicans that he believed that the senators’ trip showed “the strong connection between the Ukrainian and American people. We discussed various areas of support for our country, including defense and finance, as well as strengthened sanctions against Russia.”
It was the second high-profile congressional delegation to stay in Ukraine for as many weeks. Pelosi visited on May 1 with a group of House Democrats and Zelenskyy promised that the United States will “be there for you until the fight is over.”
First lady Jill Biden visited western Ukraine last weekend for a Mother’s Day meeting with Zelensky’s wife, Olena Zelenska.
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Associated Press writer Jari Tanner in Helsinki contributed to this report.
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