Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Israeli occupation forces issued bombing threats to bomb civilian buildings in Southern Lebanon.
Israeli media: Person behind shooting operation at Allenby Crossing is a Jordanian Army soldier.
Israeli media citing Emergency Services: Both wounded in Allenby shooting operation now dead.
Israeli media: One soldier wounded at Allenby crossing now confirmed killed.
Israeli media: Preliminary reports of shooting operation at Allenby crossing with Jordan.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Two were martyred in an initial toll of the Israeli drone strike that targeted the al-Asira neighborhood in the city of Baalbek, eastern Lebanon
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: An Israeli drone strike targeted the al-Asira neighborhood east of Baalbek, eastern Lebanon
Sheikh Naim Qassem to the pager attack survivors: You are the greatest resistance. Know that 'Israel' will fall because it embodies aggression, crime, and occupation; victory is truly yours
Sheikh Qassem to the pager attack survivors: The value of what you are doing despite your wounds is immense, and here you are, treading the path of the Master of Nation's Martyrs and the leaders
Sheikh Qassem to the pager attack survivors: You are moving forward with insight deeper than sight itself. The enemy sought to eliminate your role in the battle, yet you remain steadfast and continue the fight

NATO officially invites Sweden, Finland to join

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 29 Jun 2022 17:21
3 Min Read

Between security and interests; just after NATO declared that Russia poses a direct threat to its security, it announces that China's "coercive policies challenge our interest."

  • x
  • NATO invites Sweden, Finland to join
    NATO invites Sweden, Finland to join

NATO leaders decided Wednesday to formally invite Finland and Sweden to join the alliance after Turkey agreed to withdraw its reservations, according to a statement.

"Today, we have decided to invite Finland and Sweden to become members of NATO, and agreed to sign the Accession Protocols," a statement said.

Finland's President Sauli Niinisto confirmed on Tuesday that Turkey has agreed to support Finland and Sweden's joint membership of NATO, on the first day of the alliance's summit in the Spanish capital Madrid.

Niinisto said the breakthrough came after the three countries signed a joint memorandum "to extend their full support against threats to each other’s security."

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters, "I am pleased to announce that we now have an agreement that paves the way for Finland and Sweden to join NATO."

NATO leaders call Russia "appallingly cruel"

According to NATO leaders on Wednesday, Moscow now presented a "direct danger" to the Western alliance.

Read more: NATO to consider Russia a threat and China a "strategic challenge"

In a declaration from the Madrid summit, the leaders stated that "Russia's appalling cruelty has caused immense human suffering and massive displacements, disproportionately affecting women and children."

Related News

NATO budget surge threatens climate goals with huge carbon footprint

Belarus hosts US officials at joint Zapad drills with Russia

Jens Stoltenberg, Alliance leader, unveiled a new combined package of more aid, including secure communications technology and anti-drone devices, saying "Ukraine can count on us for as long as it takes."

The summit decided on a new NATO strategy, stating that Russia "is the most significant and direct threat to Allies’ security and to peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area".

The document updated for the first time since 2010 stated that "we cannot discount the possibility of an attack against allies’ sovereignty and territorial integrity."

The summit statement added that "allies have committed to deploy additional robust in-place combat-ready forces on our eastern flank."

NATO: China's "coercive policies challenge our interest"

For the first time in its guiding document, NATO acknowledged on Wednesday that China's power poses a risk to the alliance and that Beijing's deeper connections to Moscow were detrimental to Western interests.

"The People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) stated ambitions and coercive policies challenge our interests, security, and values," the summit concept stated.

"It strives to subvert the rules-based international order, including in the space, cyber and maritime domains."

NATO accused China of targeting NATO members with its "malicious hybrid and cyber operations and its confrontational rhetoric."

Despite some countries' reluctance to shift focus away from Europe, NATO's leading power, the United States, has pushed for the alliance to pay greater attention to China.

Following the war in Ukraine, Russia was identified as the "most significant and direct threat to allies’ security," according to NATO's guiding document, which was revised for the first time since 2010.

It further stated that growing connections between Moscow and Beijing "run counter to our values and interests."

Leaders from Asian partners Japan and South Korea were attending a NATO meeting for the first time, indicating growing concerns about China.

  • Nato
  • Finland
  • Sweden

Most Read

Why is Choose Love using a firm with British and US intelligence connections to run a pro-Palestine musical event? (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)

Together for Palestine: Troubling questions about the organisers of this huge event

  • Opinion
  • 17 Sep 2025
Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza.

Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza

  • Politics
  • 12 Sep 2025
A screengrab from the ad played on Fox News. (X Screengrab)

Fox airs ad warning Trump not to let Netanyahu 'play' him on Gaza

  • US & Canada
  • 11 Sep 2025
Lapid: Egypt’s Arab Force plan a 'severe blow' to normalization

Lapid: Egypt’s Arab Force plan a 'severe blow' to normalization

  • Palestine
  • 14 Sep 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
A Hezbollah supporter who lost his sight in a pager attack carried out by "Israel" on Sept. 17, 2024, covers his eyes with a red headband inscribed with the name "Hussein" during Ashoura, July 6, 2025 (AP)
Politics

'We Have Recovered': Lebanon marks 1st anniversary of Pager Attack

The Arab neighborhood of El Za'im, on the outskirts of east Occupied Al-Quds in the West Bank, near where Israeli government says housing units will be built as part of the E1 settlement project, Thursday, August 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
Palestine

'Israel’s' deliberate policies drive West Bank economy toward collapse

Ben & Jerry's ice cream shop, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in Cambridge, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Politics

Ben & Jerry’s co-founder resigns over parent company curbing activism

Trump’s approval rating falls to new low in second term: Poll
US & Canada

Trump’s approval rating falls to new low in second term: Poll

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS