As he bolsters American assets in Europe to counter the threat posed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, President Joe Biden came at the NATO summit in Madrid on Wednesday morning with a commitment to send two F-35 squadrons to the United Kingdom and two destroyers to Spain.
On the first day of a summit that got off to a good start with Turkey withdrawing its opposition to Finland and Sweden joining the alliance, he made his declaration.
He said to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, “We’re sending an unmistakable message in my view, and I assume yours as well, that NATO is strong, united, and the initiatives we’re doing during this summit will type of further augment our collective strengths.
“To that end, today I’m saying the United States will reinforce our collective security while also enhancing our force posture in Europe and responding to the evolving security situation.”
He stated two more squadrons of F-35 fighter jets will be sent to the U.K. and an increase from four to six destroyers headquartered in Spain, bringing the total number of troops already sent to Europe to 100,000.
He said that more air defense systems would be sent to Germany and Italy.
Additionally, the US will build a long-term military facility in Poland.
According to Biden, “We’re going to make sure NATO is prepared to handle threats from all angles across every domain—land, air, and sea.”
“At a time when Putin has torn apart the peace in Europe and assaulted the very, very foundations of rule-based order. The United States and its allies will take action.
After failures in Afghanistan and divisions under Donald Trump’s presidency, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has given the North Atlantic Treaty Organization new purpose.
The alliance was convening, according to Stoltenberg, “under the most critical security situation we have faced since the Second World War.”
Putin’s aspirations of fracturing NATO with his invasion of Ukraine, according to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, were failed.
Johnson declared as he arrived at the summit that Putin was receiving “more NATO,” not “less.”
Officials from the United States and Europe had hoped for success during the two-day conference in Madrid.
In May, the two nations submitted NATO membership applications in response to Russian encroachment in the area.
However, Recep Tayyip Erdoan, the president of Turkey, indicated he was unable to support their applications.
The two nations have long been accused by Turkey of providing safe haven to members of the violent separatist Kurdistan Workers Party, which Turkey has classified as a terrorist organization.
Information of a discovery came to light on Tuesday.
According to officials, Turkey was pleased with Finland and Sweden’s actions.
“We now have an agreement that prepares the road for Finland and Sweden to join NATO,” said Stoltenberg in a statement praising the arrangement.
The United States was not directly involved in the negotiations, according to White House officials.
However, in an effort to eliminate barriers from Sweden and Finland, Biden spoke with Erdogan on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, as they both arrived to the summit and were scheduled to meet later that day, Biden and Erdogan spoke once more.
Leader after leader meanwhile claimed they intended to convey a strong message to Moscow.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, the summit’s host, said Russia would be dubbed the alliance’s ‘primary danger’ in its new strategic framework.
The most recent version of this document described Russia as a strategic partner.
We are sending Putin a clear message: You will lose, he declared.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz declared that NATO will continue to provide Ukraine with armaments as long as it was required.