MADRID, 18 May. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The president of the United States, Joe Biden, has described as “historic” the applications for membership in NATO presented this Wednesday by Finland and Sweden and hopes that both countries can finish joining “quickly” in the Atlantic Alliance.
The US president has underlined his “strong support” for the aspirations of the Finns and Swedes, whom he has described as “unconditional partners” of the United States. In fact, Biden will receive the Prime Minister of Sweden, Magdalena Andersson, and the President of Finland, Sauli Niinisto, as a gesture of support this Thursday.
“While applications to join NATO are considered, the United States will work with Finland and Sweden to be vigilant against any threat to our common security and to deter and confront any aggression or threat of aggression,” Biden said, without making direct reference. to Russia.
In this interim period, Sweden and Finland would not have security guarantees from NATO partners, by virtue of an Article 5 that for the United States is “armored”, in the words of Biden.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson also hopes to see Sweden and Finland “soon” within the NATO “family”. “This is a historic day for our alliance and for the world. Not long ago, no one would have expected this step, but Putin’s ambitions have transformed the geopolitical contours of our continent,” he tweeted.
For his part, the Prime Minister of Portugal, António Costa, reacted “optimistically and confidently” to the initiative of the two Scandinavian countries, “a great step towards consolidating the European bloc, improving the cohesion of the Alliance’s response and strengthen external borders.
The head of the Italian Government, Mario Draghi, has expressed similar support at the end of a meeting with his Finnish counterpart, Saana Marin, on an official visit to Rome. Like the rest of the partners, he has recognized that the admission request is “a clear response” to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Now, Draghi hopes that the entry will take place “quickly”, although the first meeting of the Atlantic Council that has reviewed the candidacy this Wednesday has concluded without an agreement to open negotiations due to Turkey’s misgivings.
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