NATO News Guarantee for Ukraine and Russia’s Neighbors. Last Minute EUROPE, CURRENT headlines and events

Foreign Ministers of NATO countries, Georgia, Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina, whose security and economies have become fragile due to the war in Ukraine, which has entered a difficult period with the approach of winter conditions and an energy crisis, and the Western Balkan countries, where Russia and China they are trying to establish influence, NATO self-respect. They assured that they would support

On the first day of the meeting in Bucharest, NATO foreign ministers, discussing planned assistance to Ukraine to counter winter conditions, met with Ukrainian Minister Dmytro Kuleba, who requested Patriot missile batteries from NATO countries at a working dinner.

The second day’s sessions in Bucharest discussed support for Georgia, Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina, which have been hard hit by the war, as well as the Western Balkans and NATO-China relations. The meeting was also attended by the Foreign Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia and Moldova.

A statement released after the meeting said the foreign ministers praised China’s “ambitious military developments, technological advances and growing cyber and hybrid activities.” “Ministers stressed the importance of adhering to NATO’s resilience guidelines, maintaining NATO’s technological superiority, and further strengthening cooperation with partners in the Indo-Pacific region and the European Union,” the statement said.

Kuleba Patriot wanted

At the meeting, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken condemned Russia’s “barbaric” attacks on civilian infrastructure in Ukraine.

“In recent weeks, Russia has bombed more than a third of Ukraine’s power grid, plunging millions of people into cold and darkness. These are the new goals of President Putin. This atrocity against the Ukrainian people is barbarism,” Blinken said.

Meeting privately with Minister Blinken, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dimytro Kuleba said what his country needed most now was “US-made electrical equipment and Patriot missile batteries to counter Russian missile attacks.”

“In short, what Ukraine needs most is Patriots and electrical transformers,” Kuleba said. Kuleba said he received commitments from various NATO countries to provide additional assistance after the meeting, but did not specify whether it was “Patriot assistance.”

At his final press conference, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg confirmed that the issue of Patriot assistance was discussed at the meeting, echoing the warning that “Ukraine has made significant progress, but we must not underestimate Russia.”

“Our alliance does not have such sophisticated anti-aircraft missile systems. Only a few member states have them, and this is their decision,” Stoltenberg said.

Ukraine has been asking the US for months to send Patriot missiles, but the Washington administration is hesitant to send Patriots “so as not to further provoke Russia and drag NATO into the war. Moreover, there are 3 main types in Ukraine. Separate missiles of different ranges and heights.” NATO also wants to make sure that Ukraine only uses these missiles for defensive purposes and does not aim at targets inside Russia.

At the last session of the meeting, held on the second day of the meeting, the NATO foreign ministers also discussed assistance to “Ukraine’s neighbors affected by the war” with the participation of the foreign ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia and Moldova, who want to become members of the EU and NATO.

Stoltenberg said NATO allies have pledged to help Moldova, Georgia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, which are facing Russian pressure. “With these three valuable NATO partners, we discussed ways to strengthen our interests and cooperation in the field of security. And the Allies have agreed to increase our special support to these three countries, including capacity building, reforms and training, to improve their security and defense institutions,” Stoltenberg said.

“If there is one lesson to be learned from Ukraine, it is that we need to support these countries now,” NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg said at a press conference.

Relations between NATO and China

Ministers also discussed “China’s long-term challenges to NATO’s interests, values ​​and security.”

Stating that they do not see China as an enemy, Stoltenberg said: “We will continue to establish close relations with China as long as it is in our interests. The war in Ukraine has exposed our dangerous dependence on Russian gas. dependence on other authoritarian regimes, at least on China.” Ministers today took stock of China’s ambitious military developments, technological advances and growing cyber and hybrid activities in terms of our supply chains, technology or infrastructure. Of course, we will continue to trade and interact economically with China. But we must be aware of our dependency, reduce our vulnerability: “We must manage risk,” he said.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting in Bucharest, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said, “We are looking into areas where China is creating difficulties and trying to ensure that appropriate steps are taken.”

Blinken said NATO allies want to use “export controls” to protect their infrastructure and strategic industries.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said that “letting China take over European infrastructure was a big mistake.” European Council President Charles Michel is traveling to Beijing this week to discuss the matter.

“Horrible terrorist attack in Istanbul”

Stating that at the meeting they also discussed “terrorism, which is a direct asymmetrical threat to NATO security,” Stoltenberg said: “The last time we saw it was in the horrific attack in Istanbul. the threat.”

As part of this discussion, Turkey demanded the creation of an “anti-terrorist unit” in NATO and stressed that it would raise this issue at the summit to be held in Vilnius.

Sweden and Finland approved before the new year

Finland and Sweden, which were waiting for Turkey and Hungary to approve NATO membership, also attended all NATO ministerial sessions as invited countries. Declaring that NATO would become even stronger with the participation of Sweden and Finland, the Secretary General repeated his warning: “The time has come to welcome them as full members of the Alliance.”

However, the foreign ministers of Finland, Sweden and Turkey, who met before the meeting, said that while efforts for dialogue in good faith are ongoing, no consensus has yet been reached.

Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said: “Turkey has not given a date for ratification,” while Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Bilström said: “We had a positive meeting yesterday. We are making progress.” Minister Cavusoglu, on the other hand, said the controversy over “extradition of members of terrorist organizations and freezing of terrorist assets” continues.

According to information received from Swedish sources, Foreign Minister Billström will travel to Turkey again before the New Year and discuss this issue with Ankara.

Cavusoglu also signaled that the agreement would remain in place in the new year, stating: “An anti-terrorism law will be enacted in the new year. We want to see how it will be implemented in practice.”

Blinken: “Last I heard, Sweden and Finland will join NATO soon”

Asked about Sweden and Finland joining NATO, Blinken said: “When it comes down to it, first of all, all NATO countries have signed accession protocols. Twenty-eight of the 30 countries have ratified it, and this process has taken place with extraordinary speed. if you look at previous NATO enlargements that brought in new members, you will see that this process has been much longer, so it is happening at a record speed. Turkey, Sweden and Finland joined NATO to provide a complete solution to Turkey’s problems, in including concern for his safety. In addition, these 3 countries are in direct contact. This process is progressing. And based on what I have heard over the past few days, I am sure that Finland and Sweden will soon officially become new members of the alliance.”

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