The most important test for President Biden’s administration’s efforts to fix a fractured military alliance, and reverse Russia’s invasion in Ukraine, is Tuesday’s appearance at NATO Summit in Madrid. The United States government is often viewed as the leading partner of the most powerful military organization in the world, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (a 30-member group).
Marshall Billingslea is an ex-NATO Assistant Secretary General and said to Fox News Digital that “This NATO Summit will be a critical test for Biden’s leadership.” He must first, and foremost, open the door to Finnish and Swedish membership through a deal with Turkey. He must also get other countries to provide significant heavy weapons to Ukraine, especially Germany, which has mostly paid lip service to military assistance.
Billingslea is a senior fellow at Hudson Institute. He continued: “Third, the alliance needs to be moved from its reactive position into one that will have forces permanently based the Baltics. It is unclear if he will be able to deliver on any of these. He must also answer the question of how difficult the new Strategic Concept with respect to Communist China. This is a question he should be answering with NATO counterparts.
France and Germany, the major European powers, have been criticized for failing to quickly send large quantities of heavy weapons to Ukraine and for their slow response to the Russian invasion. Turkey, a NATO member refuses to sanction Russia, and is blocking Finland and Sweden’s access to the Western alliance.
Fox News Digital reported that “many actors are watching Biden’s foreign policy agenda in search of signs of weakness,” Theodore Karasik (a fellow for Russian- and Middle Eastern affairs at The Jamestown Foundation in Washington), said.
“Russia’s uncoiling is still evident in Ukraine and other continents. Now, the test will be about NATO’s security architecture over the next 20 years. Karasik stated that the pace and extent of NATO’s armament increase as a result Russia’s invasion in Ukraine will be crucial for what happens next to Eurasia.
Biden faces huge stakes because both Finland and Sweden are susceptible to Russian invasion. Moscow is also gaining momentum in its attempts to seize more Ukrainian territory.
Karasik said: “President Biden must secure Turkey’s active involvement in NATO and stop the country acting as an adjunct’ to the security organisation. It is essential that the two leaders (Biden and President Recept Tayyip Erdogan) meet face-to-face. Although Ankara understands Turkey’s concerns, Moscow’s actions regarding the Donbass and its impact on global food supplies and global food supply demand greater public unity. Russia will continue to grind along even if these differing opinions continue, especially after the NATO summit.”
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg stated that he expected all alliance members to declare Russia as “the most serious and direct threat to our security” ahead of the Madrid summit on June 28-30. As part of its response, NATO will nearly double the strength of its rapid-reaction force to 300,000. This is in line with its “era of strategic rivalry.”
The NATO rapid response force is currently composed of around 40,000 soldiers that can be deployed quickly when necessary.
Stoltenberg stated that the expansion is part “of the biggest overhaul of collective defense, deterrence and co-defence since the Cold War”.
He said that the troops would exercise with the home defense forces. “They will be familiar with the local terrain, facilities, as well as our prepositioned stocks so they can quickly and smoothly respond to any emergency.”
Stoltenberg stated that the allies would agree to provide further military support for Ukraine. NATO members are expected to adopt a “strengthened complete assistance package”, which includes secure communication systems and anti-drone technology.
Mike Pompeo, former Secretary of State of the United States, stated Monday on Fox & Friends that there is a need for “ending the war in Ukraine”.
Pompeo stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a clear message to Biden and his team by launching missiles in western Ukraine, into Kyiv yesterday.
Former top diplomat to the Trump administration stated that the U.S. should provide Ukraine with “targeting capabilities and intelligence” as well as unmanned aerial system.
“The more we delay, the longer this continues, the more Ukrainian lives are lost, and the worse it will get here in America. Pompeo stated that we can see the effects of the war in Europe and the instability there.
At the NATO summit, the NATO summit will also discuss the dangers posed to the Chinese Communist Party.
John Kirby, U.S. National Security Council’s Coordinator for Strategic Communications, said recently, “It’s a reflection on our allies’ equal concerns about the effect of Chinese economic practice, forced labor, intellectual theft and coercive aggressive behaviour not only in the region, but around the globe.” They believe it is important to include China in the new strategic plan.
Amanda Rothschild is a Vandenberg Coalition senior policy director and a former Senior National Security Speechwriter for Donald Trump. She stated that “Advocating for enhanced NATO defensive capabilities and burden-sharing does not undermine NATO. It helps strengthen it. It strengthens it.
She said: “As a consequence, NATO members met their obligation to spend at minimum 2% of GDP defense. NATO allies also committed to an increase of defense spending of $400 billion by 2024. These commitments are necessary, but not sufficient. Allies must continue investing in their defense capabilities, as per Article 3 of NATO Treaty.
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