NATO Is Sending the Right Message to Putin
A larger, more assertive alliance is the only way to deter Russian aggression.
Biden’s looking east.
Photographer: Valeria Mongelli/Bloomberg
At their summit in Madrid last week, NATO’s leaders agreed to add two new members, Finland and Sweden, and to beef up the alliance’s presence in Eastern Europe. Taken together, the moves will greatly enhance NATO’s firepower and strengthen its ability to deter Russian aggression. They also could create new risks, which all member states will need to be attentive to.
The summit’s most significant breakthrough came before it officially began, when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed to support the Nordic countries’ bids to join NATO. In exchange, Erdogan received assurances that both countries would not support Kurdish groups that Turkey considers terrorists — as well as a pledge from US President Joe Biden to support the sale of new F-16 fighter jets to Turkey.