WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa)
joined Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations
Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation, Sen. Thom Tillis
(R-N.C.) and 79 of his colleagues in urging President Biden to expedite the
administration’s process to advance Sweden and Finland’s applications for NATO
membership.
In the letter, the senators noted that
NATO’s expansion will send a clear message to Putin and authoritarian leaders
across the globe that the free world stands ready to bolster the alliance and
defend our values and sovereignty, including through NATO’s open door policy.
“As Russia’s unprovoked invasion of
Ukraine has proven, NATO, along with our democratic partners around the world,
is more united than ever in opposition to the illegal acts of war waged by
President Putin. Expanding NATO to include Finland and Sweden will send a clear
message to Vladimir Putin, and any leader that attempts to follow in his path,
that the free world stands ready to defend its values and sovereignty. We will
also continue to support NATO’s open-door policy, which affirms that new
members are welcome to the alliance,” the
senators wrote.
The senators also affirmed their support
for Sweden and Finland’s applications as part of the Senate’s constitutional
role to provide advice and consent for NATO enlargement. During this pivotal
moment to our global security, they noted this expansion will further
strengthen NATO’s military and diplomatic capabilities to address emerging
threats, and mutual security assurances will extend to these two governments
under the alliance.
“Members of the U.S. Senate take
seriously our role in advising and consenting to NATO enlargement, a process
that must be approved by all NATO member states. We affirm our support for
Sweden and Finland’s applications for membership. In addition, we pledge to
work closely with you and with our Senate colleagues to ensure that their
applications are swiftly considered and approved by the Senate,” the senators concluded. “The
transatlantic alliance has never been more crucial to global security and
stability. The addition of these two important allies to NATO will ensure the
alliance’s resilience and readiness, and we look forward to welcoming Sweden
and Finland to NATO.”
Final text of the letter is available
HERE.
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