“It’s truly a historic moment for Finland, Sweden and NATO – and our common security,” He said Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, noting that NATO’s door “remains open” to other democracies.
The signing ceremony comes after a decision issued during a NATO summit in Madrid Last week to invite Sweden and Finland to join the alliance. This came after some disagreements with NATO member Turkey, which prevented countries from joining Historical grievances About what Ankara considers their support for armed groups. An agreement to end the standoff was reached when Sweden and Finland agreed to address issues raised by Turkey, including the possible extradition of Kurds whom Turkish authorities consider “terrorists”.
Finland and Sweden’s decisions, traditionally militarily non-aligned, will not be limited to joining NATO Transformation The security scene in Europe, but perhaps further strained relations with Russia, which opposes the expansion of the alliance near its borders.
At the signing ceremony, delegations from Finland and Sweden expressed their gratitude and said accession would enhance “collective security” and help the alliance. The Russian invasion of Ukraine was the main factor that pushed the two countries to seek membership.
“This is a good day for NATO,” Stoltenberg added.
The ceremony was held in Brussels as Russian forces continued to make “substantial progress” in the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine, after capturing the city of LyschanskAccording to the British Ministry of Defense. On Tuesday, the ministry said that, in contrast to previous stages of the war, Russia appears to have “achieved reasonably effective coordination” between groups of its armed forces under a military command.
However, the intelligence update added that Ukrainian forces may have withdrawn in good shape and in line with current plans. “There is a realistic possibility that Ukrainian forces will now be able to retreat to a more straight and defensible front line,” she said.
The ministry said it predicted that further battles in the Donbass would be characterized by “slow rates of progress” by Russian forces and the extensive use of artillery “to level towns and cities in the process”. On Tuesday, Russia fired missiles at a market and a residential area in the eastern Ukrainian city of Sloviansk, damaging several homes and destroying one. Officials said at least two people were killed and seven wounded.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, in his nightly video address Monday, said it would take “big money” to rebuild critical infrastructure, including schools, hospitals and waste treatment plants, and restore “normal economic life.”
Zelensky said that “tens of thousands” of homes have been destroyed across the country and that “thousands of businesses are out of business.”
“This is why Ukraine’s recovery is not only about what to do later, after our victory, but also about what to do at this time,” he said. “Rebuilding our state is not just restoring the walls we had. … Ukraine must become the freest, most modern and safest country in Europe.”
Earlier on Monday, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmyal estimated at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Lugano, Switzerland, that his country needed $750 billion for a comprehensive three-phase reconstruction and recovery plan.
On Tuesday, Russia’s lower house of parliament approved legislation that would force companies to produce what the government wants, at the price and timeframe it sets. The legislation, one of two measures passed by the State Duma, is expected to pass quickly through both houses of Russia’s ratifying parliament before President Vladimir Putin signs it into law.
Since its invasion of Ukraine, Russia has struggled to preserve personnel and equipment, with Western countries imposing sweeping sanctions and supplying Ukraine with weapons.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov said that it is necessary to “improve” the work of the military-industrial complex and related institutions. He said the legislation would allow Russia to mobilize its economy to support what Moscow calls its “special military operation” against Ukraine.
“This does not mean that any enterprise – small and medium-sized, and any other company – will forcibly participate in the implementation of the measures of government defense orders,” he said, noting that it will not affect companies that do not produce goods for the military. “There is no need for this.”
One of the bills said the state could impose “special economic measures” during military operations, requiring companies to supply the military with goods and services. The second bill gives the government the power to change the working hours of companies supplying goods – employees may be required to work at night, on weekends and on holidays – with the possibility of no annual leave.
Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of the State Duma, said discussions on the measures would continue behind closed doors on Wednesday.
Solomon reports from London, Tsui from Washington and Dixon from Riga, Latvia.
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