President Joe Biden arrived at the NATO summit in Madrid on Wednesday morning and promised to send two F-35 squadrons to the UK and two destroyers to Spain while strengthening US forces in Europe against the threat of Vladimir Putin from Russia.
This includes, for the first time, a permanent military presence on NATO’s eastern flank – a move that is likely to anger Moscow.
Biden made his announcement on the first day of a summit that started on a positive note, with Turkey abandoning its objections to Finland and Sweden to join the alliance.
“We are sending an unmistakable message in my opinion, and I think yours too,” he told NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, “that NATO is strong, united and will complement the steps we are taking during this summit. . our collective strengths.
“To that end, I announce today that the United States will improve our position of power in Europe and respond to the changing security environment as well as strengthen our collective security.”
Having already sent an extra 20,000 troops to Europe – bringing the total to 100,000 – he announced that two more squadrons of F-35 warplanes would be sent to the UK and the number of destroyers in Spain based would increase from four to six.
Additional air defense systems will be shipped to Germany and Italy, he said.
And the US will set up a permanent military headquarters for its 5th Army Corps in Poland, as well as sending another 5,000 troops to Romania.
The F-35 is the U.S. Air Force’s most advanced warplane, with air superiority and ground attack capabilities.
President Joe Biden meets Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the start of the NATO summit in Madrid
Biden announced that he was sending more US forces to Europe while NATO allies gathered to pledge full support for Ukraine against Vladimir Putin’s Russia.
The boom will include two squadrons of F-35 fighter jets sent to the UK
Biden also said that he would increase the number of destroyers of the US Navy stationed at the US Navy station, Spain, from four to six, while increasing the forces deployed in Europe.
Biden waved as his motorcade made its way through Madrid to the summit
“We are going to make sure that NATO is ready to meet the threats from all directions across every domain – land, air and sea,” Biden said.
“At a time when Putin is violating peace in Europe and attacking the very principles of rule-based order. The United States and is going to act allies. ‘
The most important part of the decision can
“These forces – the first permanent US forces on NATO’s eastern flank – will improve our command and control capabilities, interoperability with NATO and management of advanced equipment,” the White House said.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has given a new purpose to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization after failures in Afghanistan and divisions when Donald Trump was in the White House.
Stoltenberg said the alliance was meeting “in the midst of the most serious security crisis we have faced since World War II.”
But British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Putin’s hopes of dividing NATO with his invasion of Ukraine were shattered.
Putin got ‘more NATO’, not less, Johnson said when he arrived at the summit.
US and European officials were hoping for progress with enlargement during the two-day summit in Madrid.
Finland and Sweden applied for NATO membership in May, worried about Russia’s aggression in the region.
Biden was greeted by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who said the alliance was meeting in the ‘most serious security crisis we have faced since World War II’
But Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said he cannot support their applications. Turkey has long accused the two countries of housing members of the separatist militant Kurdistan’s Workers’ Party, which has designated Turkey as a terrorist group.
On Tuesday, details of a breakthrough came to light. Turkey was pleased with moves made by Finland and Sweden, officials said.
Stoltenberg welcomed the agreement, saying: “We now have an agreement that paves the way for Finland and Sweden to join NATO.”
White House officials said the U.S. was not directly involved in the negotiations.
However, Biden spoke to Erdogan on Tuesday as part of an effort to remove roadblocks from Sweden and Finland.
Biden spoke to Erdogan again on Wednesday when they both arrived at the summit and will hold a meeting later that day.
Meanwhile, leader after leader has said they want to send a clear message to Moscow.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, host of the summit, said Russia would be identified in its new strategic concept as the alliance’s ‘main threat’. The last such document, published in 2010, characterized Russia as a strategic partner.
“We are sending a strong message to Putin: You will not win,” he said.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said NATO would provide weapons to Ukraine for as long as needed.
“Russia, with its brutal war of aggression, has violated the sovereignty and integrity of Ukraine,” he said.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine prompted Finland and Sweden to launch NATO applications
If the nations are accepted into the alliance, they will bring together nearly 1 million troops, including reserves, along with a large amount of artillery, jets and submarines.