NATO Military Committee Chairman Admiral Rob Bauer said that the security guarantees that can be given to Finland and Sweden, which have applied for NATO membership, during the period until their membership, cannot be as in Article 5 of the NATO Agreement, which “accepts an attack on an ally as an attack on the entire alliance”.
NATO Chiefs of Staff Meeting was held at NATO headquarters in Brussels.
At the meeting, Turkey was represented by the Chief of the General Staff, General Yaşar Güler.
After the meeting, NATO Military Committee Chairman Admiral Rob Bauer and NATO Supreme Allied Commander General Tod Wolters made a statement to the journalists.
WARNING TO SWEDEN AND FINLAND FROM NATO
While answering a question about whether Sweden and Finland, which have applied for NATO membership, would be given security guarantees, Bauer reminded that membership requires a process and 30 allies must have the approval for the two countries to become members.
Regarding the security guarantees, Bauer said, “It is important that the two countries have security guarantees during this period. These guarantees are not the same as in Article 5 because both countries are not members yet. As we all know, there are countries that have negotiated and agreed with Finland and Sweden to provide security guarantees.” said.
SUPPORT TO UKRAINE “AS MUCH AS NEEDED”
Bauer also said that they discussed the situation in Ukraine, which was attacked by Russia, and stated that the Chief of General Staff of Ukraine, Valeriy Zaluzhniy, informed the commanders of the allied countries about the latest situation.
Bauer said, “We appreciate the willingness of the entire Ukrainian people to fight for their freedom. Ukraine will never accept the Russian occupation. NATO will continue to support Ukraine as much as necessary.” he said.
Stating that NATO Chiefs of Staff discussed issues other than Ukraine, Bauer stated that they also met with military representatives from NATO’s partners in the Asia-Pacific region, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and Japan, and discussed all global security issues.
NATO INCREASED ITS PRESENCE IN EASTERN EUROPE
General Tod Wolters, on the other hand, noted that 42 thousand soldiers under his command, 120 warplanes at high readiness level and 20 warships are ready to respond to any situation.
Wolters said that due to the tension with Russia, they increased their ground forces by 10 times and their air force by 50 percent, and that his country, the USA, provided 4 billion dollars of military aid to Ukraine and trained the Ukrainian army.
Wolters, when asked about the first phone call between the US Chief of Staff, General Mark Milley, and the Russian Chief of Staff, Valeri Gerasimov, after the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, said they wished for diplomatic efforts to come to the fore. (AA)