After the G7 meeting which ends this Tuesday, June 28 in Germany, it is now time for the NATO summit in Madrid, which should last 3 days and looks very busy. On the menu for discussion: the accession of Sweden and Finland, the reinforcement of the presence of the organization in the Baltic countries, the adoption of the new ” strategic concept and the establishment of a new plan to help kyiv in its war with Russia, a conflict that has revived the Alliance.
the summit which will begin on Tuesday in Madrid could well become historic: This summit will be a turning point and several important decisions will be taken “, has also affirmed the Secretary General of the Alliance Jens Stoltenberg.
25 years after a first summit in the Spanish capital, which notably recorded the entry of Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic, Madrid could well witness a new enlargement of NATO. This time towards northern Europe, with the arrival of Sweden and Finland… even if unanimity is required: for at the moment Turkey still seems to hesitate to give the green light.
The 30 member countries of the Organization must also validate the new ” strategic concept “. This capital document reaffirms the values, function and tasks of NATO.
It will also discuss the strengthening of deterrence and long-term defense to face the new reality in terms of security, which notably implies a redeployment of NATO forces in the Baltic countries.
” Russia as the most important threat »
Thus, its leaders must decide to transform their reaction force, currently 40,000 soldiers strong, and bring it “ well above » 300,000 men with a high level of readiness for face the Russian threat, announced Monday the secretary general of the Alliance. ” I think the allies will make it clear in Madrid that they see Russia as the biggest and most direct threat to our security. said Norwegian Jens Stoltenberg during the presentation of the summit’s stakes.
But the central subject will above all be Ukraine and NATO’s continued support for it, both militarily and financially. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who had been invited to visit Madrid, will participate in the summit remotely, as during the G7. The members are going to provide more heavy weapons and want to ” in the longer term help Ukraine transition from Soviet-era military equipment to modern NATO equipment », according to Jens Stoltenberg.
The program is therefore very busy and could well mark a ” turning in this covenant, 73 years after its creation.
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