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☆ NATO Accession Looks to Be 'Not a Priority' for Sweden, Hungary Says
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Sweden has not done anything to boost confidence in its suitability for NATO membership, and has given the impression that joining the alliance is not a priority for the country, an aide to Hungary's prime minister said on Thursday. Sweden applied to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in May 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine but the accession process, which requires the approval of all existing members, has been held up by Turkey and Hungary. Gulyas suggested that Sweden's foreign minister or prime minister should "get in touch and ask what concerns the Hungarian parliament has" about Sweden's NATO accession. Replying to a reporter's question, he said Hungary wanted to avoid being the last country to ratify Sweden's NATO accession, but "we will probably not manage to do so without Sweden's help. The Turkish parliament's general assembly may debate Sweden's NATO membership bid in the coming weeks, the ruling AK Party's parliamentary group chairman said last week.

Persons: Viktor Orban's, Gulyas, Gergely Szakacs, Anita Komuves, Marie, Alex Richardson Organizations: NATO, Atlantic Treaty Organization, Nordic, Turkish, AK, Marie Mannes Locations: BUDAPEST, Sweden, Ukraine, Turkey, Hungary, Swedish, Moscow, Budapest, Stockholm

For 74 years, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization has been America’s most important military alliance. Presidents of both parties have seen NATO as a force multiplier enhancing the influence of the United States by uniting countries on both sides of the Atlantic in a vow to defend one another. Donald J. Trump has made it clear that he sees NATO as a drain on American resources by freeloaders. In his 2000 book, “The America We Deserve,” Mr. Trump wrote that “pulling back from Europe would save this country millions of dollars annually.” As president, he repeatedly threatened a United States withdrawal from the alliance. Yet as he runs to regain the White House, Mr. Trump has said precious little about his intentions.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Mr, “ Organizations: Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, freeloaders, White Locations: United States, Europe

☆ British troops patrol Kosovo-Serbia border as tensions remain high
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( Fatos Bytyci | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] British troops part of the NATO reinforcements patrol at the Kosovo-Serbia border in Jarinje, Kosovo November 24, 2023. NATO has sent 1,000 extra troops to the region, bringing its presence there to 4,500 peacekeepers from 27 countries. British soldiers are now being deployed in 18-hour shifts in freezing conditions to make sure no weapons or armed groups enter Kosovo. Kosovo, which has an ethnic Albanian majority, declared independence from Serbia in 2008 after a guerrilla uprising and a 1999 NATO intervention. Around five percent of the population in Kosovo are ethnic Serbs, of which half live in the north and refuse to recognize Kosovo independence and see Belgrade as their capital.

Persons: Valdrin, Joss Gaddie, Jens Stoltenberg, Albin Kurti's, Fatos Bytyci, Mike Harrison Organizations: NATO, REUTERS, Atlantic Treaty Organization, Belgrade, KFOR, British Army, Reuters, Kosovo, Kosovo police, Thomson Locations: Kosovo, Serbia, Jarinje, NATO, Britain, Romania, Banjska, Balkans, Belgrade, Pristina

☆ Germany set to double its Ukraine military aid under Scholz plan, Bloomberg reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz delivers a speech on the day of the opening of an electrolysis gigafactory in Berlin, Germany November 8, 2023. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 11 (Reuters) - German chancellor Olaf Scholz's governing coalition has agreed to double German military aid for Ukraine next year to 8 billion euros ($8.54 billion), Bloomberg News reported on Saturday, citing people familiar with the matter. Lawmakers of Scholz's Social Democrats, the Free Democrats and the Green party agreed on the increase in negotiations over the proposed 2024 federal budget this week, Bloomberg News reported. A European Union plan to spend up to 20 billion euros ($21.4 billion) on military aid for Ukraine was met with resistance from EU countries. ($1 = 0.9362 euros)Reporting by Gursimran Kaur in Bengaluru; Editing by David GregorioOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Olaf Scholz, Annegret, Olaf Scholz's, Gursimran Kaur, David Gregorio Our Organizations: REUTERS, Bloomberg, Atlantic Treaty Organization, Scholz's Social Democrats, Free Democrats, Green, Bloomberg News, Germany's Ministry of Defense, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Germany, Ukraine, Germany's, Bengaluru

☆ Germany set to double Ukraine military aid
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz delivers a speech on the day of the opening of an electrolysis gigafactory in Berlin, Germany November 8, 2023. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsFRANKFURT, Nov 11 (Reuters) - German chancellor Olaf Scholz's governing coalition has agreed in principle to double the country's military aid for Ukraine next year to 8 billion euros ($8.5 billion), a political source in Berlin said on Sunday. Defence minister Boris Pistorius, interviewed by broadcaster ARD, referred to the planned doubling of military aid to Ukraine. "Doubling the military spending is both the right thing to do and important," it quoted member of parliament Andreas Schwarz, who acts as an SPD military budget official, as saying. A European Union plan to spend up to 20 billion euros ($21 billion) on military aid for Ukraine is meeting with resistance from EU countries, diplomats said this week.

Persons: Olaf Scholz, Annegret, Olaf Scholz's, Boris Pistorius, Andreas Schwarz, Gursimran Kaur, Holger Hansen, Vera Eckert, David Gregorio, Kirsten Donovan, Giles Elgood Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Atlantic Treaty Organization, Scholz's Social Democrats, Free Democrats, Green, Bundestag, Bloomberg News, Germany's Ministry of Defence, ARD, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Germany, Ukraine, Bengaluru, Frankfurt

☆ Germany Set to Double Its Ukraine Military Aid Under Scholz Plan -Bloomberg News
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-11 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

(Reuters) - German chancellor Olaf Scholz's governing coalition has agreed to double German military aid for Ukraine next year to 8 billion euros ($8.54 billion), Bloomberg News reported on Saturday, citing people familiar with the matter. Lawmakers of Scholz's Social Democrats, the Free Democrats and the Green party agreed on the increase in negotiations over the proposed 2024 federal budget this week, Bloomberg News reported. Germany's Ministry of Defense could not be immediately reached for comment. A European Union plan to spend up to 20 billion euros ($21.4 billion) on military aid for Ukraine was met with resistance from EU countries. ($1 = 0.9362 euros)(Reporting by Gursimran Kaur in Bengaluru; Editing by David Gregorio)

Persons: Olaf Scholz's, Gursimran Kaur, David Gregorio Organizations: Reuters, Bloomberg, Atlantic Treaty Organization, Scholz's Social Democrats, Free Democrats, Green, Bloomberg News, Germany's Ministry of Defense Locations: Ukraine, Berlin, Germany's, Bengaluru

☆ U.S., NATO to Suspend Participation in Landmark Cold War Arms Treaty
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Michael R. Gordon | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Bulgarian troops during a NATO exercise. Suspending participation will give the U.S. more flexibility to deploy forces in Romania and Bulgaria, near Ukraine. Photo: nikolay doychinov/Agence France-Presse/Getty ImagesWASHINGTON—The U.S. and its NATO allies served notice Tuesday that they will formally suspend their participation in a 1990 treaty limiting conventional forces in Europe, marking the demise of another landmark arms control agreement. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s move follows Russia’s formal withdrawal from the accord on Tuesday and longstanding Western complaints that Moscow wasn’t honoring the terms of the treaty.

Persons: nikolay doychinov Organizations: Agence France, Getty, WASHINGTON, NATO, Atlantic Treaty Locations: NATO, Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine, The U.S, Europe, Atlantic, Moscow

☆ As Violence Surges, Nations Seek U.S. Defense Pacts. Some Americans Are Wary.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Edward Wong | More About Edward Wong | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

In recent months, leaders and diplomats from a growing number of nations have signed security pacts with the United States, upgraded military ties and weapons purchases or have begun negotiating potential new defense treaties and arrangements. Frightened by Russia’s aggression, Finland joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in April, while Sweden is on the brink of membership. Israel and the United States have a series of agreements on military aid. The push around the world for the United States to be all things to all partners in terms of defense is stronger than at any time since the end of the Cold War. All of that sets up a potential battle over a new White House request for $105 billion of military aid that would go mostly to Ukraine and Israel.

Persons: Biden, Donald J Organizations: North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Republican, Trump Locations: Washington, United States, Ukraine, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Philippines, China, North, Finland, Sweden, Israel, Gaza, Iraq, Afghanistan

☆ Finland Suspects Chinese Ship’s Anchor Damaged Gas Pipeline
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Georgi Kantchev | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Finnish Navy divers supported authorities in the investigation of the damaged pipeline in the Baltic Sea, in this undated handout. Photo: Finnish Navy/ReutersFinland said that a Chinese ship’s anchor had likely caused a mysterious rupture of an undersea gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea earlier this month that raised concerns about the vulnerability of European infrastructure to sabotage amid mounting tension between Russia and the West. The damage of the pipeline linking North Atlantic Treaty Organization member states Finland and Estonia, as well as the disruption of two telecommunications cables that happened around the same time, came after months of efforts by governments to beef up security around Europe’s vital energy, information and transportation networks.

Organizations: Finnish Navy, Reuters, Treaty Organization Locations: Baltic, Reuters Finland, Russia, North, Finland, Estonia

With his prime-time vow to send more weapons to both Ukraine and Israel, President Biden sought to make clear on Thursday that the United States was not prioritizing one war over the other. But hours earlier, a Defense Department official said that tens of thousands of 155-millimeter artillery shells promised to Ukraine would be diverted to Israel. Here are three key weapons systems that Israel and Ukraine may need from the United States. Artillery ammunitionPerhaps more than any other weapons, the NATO-standard 155-millimeter shells will be in high demand, as both Israel and Ukraine use them against targets within a few dozen miles. In January, the Pentagon said it would tap into an American stockpile in Israel and ship hundreds of thousands of 155-millimeter shells to Ukraine.

Persons: Biden, “ You’re, ” Sabrina Singh, “, ” Michael J, Morell, Mark F, Rob Bauer, Charlie Dietz, ” Organizations: Defense Department, Pentagon, U.S, Central Intelligence Agency, White, Center for Strategic, International Studies, United States, Artillery, NATO, United, North Atlantic Treaty Organization Locations: Ukraine, Israel, United States, Gaza, Russia, Washington, United, Europe, North, Netherlands

☆ Biden Speaks, but Will He Act?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-21 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Journal Editorial Report: The administration gives full support, but will it last? Image: Samuel Corum - Pool Via Cnp/Zuma PressPresident Biden on Thursday night finally told Americans the truth about a new world of threats, which he called “an inflection point.” It’s also a decisive moment for the Commander in Chief: Will Mr. Biden respond if Iran keeps attacking U.S. forces abroad? And will he build support in Congress to restore U.S. military power? Wars in Israel and Ukraine “can seem far away,” the President said in a rare Oval Office address. Vladimir Putin, Mr. Biden noted, views the Baltic countries in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization as rogue Russian provinces.

Persons: Samuel Corum, Biden, ” It’s, Will Mr, don’t, Vladimir Putin Organizations: Cnp, Zuma Press, North Atlantic Treaty Organization Locations: Iran, Israel, Ukraine, America, Baltic, North

☆ U.K. Foreign Secretary Arrives in Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

U.K. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly arrived in Israel on Wednesday to meet with senior Israeli officials and outline how Britain could help the country with its right to defend itself. The U.K.'s Foreign Office said the trip was a show of solidarity with Israel, which is an ally of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, in the wake of the attacks by militants.

Persons: James Organizations: Foreign, Atlantic Treaty Organization Locations: Israel

☆ As Congress weighs Ukraine aid, Biden reassures G7, NATO leaders of U.S. commitment
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( Emma Kinery | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

U.S. President Joe Biden holds a Cabinet meeting at the White House on October 02, 2023 in Washington, DC. WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden convened a call with top U.S. allies Tuesday to stress the United States commitment to aiding Ukraine as hard-line House Republicans push back on further support for that embattled nation. Biden spoke with the leaders of the G7 countries, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the European Commission and the European Council to coordinate support for Ukraine. Despite bipartisan support in the Senate, a handful of hard-line Republicans in the House have rejected any additional aid. On Saturday, Biden signed a stopgap funding measure passed by Congress to avoid a shutdown of the federal government.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Vladimir, Putin, Biden's Organizations: White, WASHINGTON, U.S, Republicans, Atlantic Treaty Organization, European Commission, European Council, Ukraine, Senate Locations: Washington , DC, States, Ukraine, Poland, Romania

But his focus was on Ukraine’s Western backers and NATO – a mutual defense organization formed in the aftermath of World War II to defend Western nations from the Soviet Union. The Russian Foreign Minister also shut down the possibility of Russia returning to the Black Sea grain deal, saying the Kremlin felt it had been deceived. Russia withdrew from the UN-brokered deal in July, after saying for some time that it had been prevented from adequately exporting its own foodstuffs. The now-collapsed deal had allowed Ukraine to export much-needed grain by sea, with ships bypassing a Russian blockade in order to reach global markets. But as one of those so-called P5 countries, Russia has also significantly benefited from the existing structure, notably vetoing resolutions about its war in Ukraine.

Persons: Sergey Lavrov, ” “, ” Lavrov, Lavrov, ”, Volodymyr Zelensky Organizations: New, New York CNN, UN General Assembly, Russian, General, NATO, Atlantic Treaty Organization, Moscow, UN, UN Security Council Locations: New York, Ukraine, Moscow, Soviet Union, Russia

☆ Station U.S. Troops in Poland, Not Germany
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Andrew A. Michta | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Images: AP Composite: Mark KellyWashington has pledged to help Kyiv “for as long as it takes,” but support from European allies has been uneven. The states along the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s eastern flank have stepped up to oppose Russia in the largest land war in Europe since World War II. But Germany and France have been more hesitant and less impressive. This underscores a new strategic reality to which the U.S. ought to respond by making hard decisions about where it positions its troops and resources in Europe. If Washington is serious about deterrence by denial, it needs permanent installations in the key frontier state: Poland.

Persons: Paul Gigot, Jack Keane, Mark Kelly Washington Organizations: Kyiv, Russia Locations: Atlantic, Europe, Germany, France, Washington, Poland

Ukraine Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called US military aid "the most profitable investment into world's security" during a joint news conference with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Kyiv on Wednesday. Kuleba said he and Blinken had “an open, sincere and friendly conversation” and reiterated that the US support for Ukraine is long-standing. “Anyone in the world who has doubted that Ukraine and the US will stand shoulder to shoulder until the end of this war have received a powerful signal today that they are wrong. We are moving forward together because we understand this war is not just about the future of Ukraine, but the future of the world,” he said. The leaders also ate at a McDonald’s in Kyiv, which had recently reopened.

Persons: Dmytro Kuleba, Antony Blinken, ” Kuleba, Kuleba, United States “, Blinken, ” Organizations: “, Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, Tactical Missile Locations: Ukraine, Kyiv, United States, Ukrainian, Romania

In remarks ahead of their talks, Putin told Erdogan that Russia is “open to negotiations” on the grain deal. Shifting power balanceErdogan and Putin last met face-to-face in October on the sidelines of an Asia summit in the Kazakh capital Astana. Ahead of his re-election, Erdogan hailed his “special” relationship with Putin as Western states pressured Ankara to join sanctions against Moscow. “(Erdogan) has not really gotten in the direction of trying to please Putin,” Ulgen told CNN. The reconfigured power balance between the two leaders could yet yield positive results with the efforts to revive the Black Sea grain deal, experts say.

Persons: Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Erdogan, Monday’s, ” Putin, ”, Sinan Ulgen, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, “, ” Erdogan, CNN’s Becky Anderson, Asli Aydintasbas, ” Aydintasbas, ” Ulgen, Volodymyr Zelensky, Ulgen, Turkey’s, “ Putin, ” “ Erdogan Organizations: CNN, TASS, Astana, Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, Brookings Institution, “ Locations: Russia’s, Sochi, Moscow, Black, Russia, Turkey, Qatar, Russian, Turkish, Asia, Kazakh, Ukraine, Ankara, Istanbul, Washington , DC, United States, ”, Finland, Sweden, East

Ever since members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization sprang into action to help Ukraine try to thwart Russia’s invasion last year, China has warned about a similar U.S.-led security alliance forming in Asia that would seek to hobble Beijing’s ambitions and provoke a confrontation. President Biden’s Camp David summit on Friday with the leaders of Japan and South Korea most likely reinforces Beijing’s perception. The talks saw Japan and South Korea put aside their historical animosities to forge a defense pact with the United States aimed at deterring Chinese and North Korean aggression. Mr. Biden, who met with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan and President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea, sought to emphasize at a news conference that the summit was not “anti-China.” But Beijing will almost certainly find Mr. Biden’s assertion unpersuasive. China’s leader, Xi Jinping, has accused the United States of leading Western countries in the “all-around containment, encirclement and suppression of China.”

Persons: hobble, Biden’s, David, Mr, Biden, Fumio Kishida, Yoon Suk, Xi Jinping, ” Organizations: Atlantic Treaty Locations: Ukraine, China, U.S, Asia, Japan, South Korea, United States, ”, Beijing

☆ Geopolitical risks are a top global threat to businesses, survey finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Sumathi Bala | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Around 36% of businesses polled view geopolitical tensions as top risks currently — such as those related to issues over Taiwan, South Korea, and Russia-NATO. The latest third quarter 2023 Global Risk Survey covered 127 businesses from July 6-27 this year. Risks aheadGeopolitical risks continue to factor prominently for businesses as a major concern for the next five years. "As reported last quarter, more than three-fifths of respondents view geopolitical risks as a very significant risk to the global economy over the medium term," said Thompson. "An intensification of geopolitical tensions could potentially trigger significant deglobalization of trade and the financial system," he added.

Persons: Fred DUFOUR, FRED DUFOUR, Fred Dufour, Jamie Thompson, Fitch, Biden, Vladimir Putin, Thompson, Kevin O'Leary Organizations: Getty, Afp, Oxford Economics, Fitch downgrades, UBS, NATO, U.S, Reuters, Atlantic Treaty Organization, . Federal, Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank Locations: Beijing, Taiwan, South Korea, Russia, Washington, U.S, China, it's, Ukraine, Republic, Silicon

☆ Ukraine, US start talks on security guarantees, official says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Viacheslav... Read moreAug 3 (Reuters) - Ukraine and the United States started talks on Thursday aimed at providing security guarantees for Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's chief of staff said, a follow-up to pledges by G7 countries at last month's NATO summit. Ukraine was told that the Group of Seven (G7) would draw up and honour security guarantees and help bolster its military in light of Russia's 17-month-old invasion of Ukraine. The Kyiv government sees the talks as an interim stage pending its accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization military alliance. "It is symbolic that the United States - our biggest strategic partner - became the first country with which Ukraine has started this process," Yermak wrote. Yermak restated Ukraine's position that guarantees "will strengthen Ukraine along the path to future membership of the Euro-Atlantic community, including NATO and the European Union".

Persons: Andriy Yermak, Volodymyr Zelenskyi, Read, Volodymyr Zelenskiy's, Yermak, Ron Popeski, Grant McCool Organizations: International, REUTERS, NATO, Atlantic Treaty Organization, Presidential, European, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Kyiv, United States, Vilnius, Lithuania, Russia, Ukrainian

STOCKHOLM, July 27 (Reuters) - Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson is "extremely worried" about the consequences if more demonstrations go ahead in which the Koran is desecrated, he said on Thursday, amid growing Muslim anger at a series of attacks on Islam's holy book. Kristersson told Swedish news agency TT that further requests had been filed with police for permission to hold protests where desecration of the Koran was again planned. Sweden's embassy in Baghdad was stormed and set ablaze on July 20 by protesters angered by a planned Koran burning. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson addresses the media ahead of a NATO leaders summit in Vilnius, Lithuania July 11, 2023. Members of Sweden Democrats, the biggest party on the right, have repeatedly warned about the "Islamization" of Swedish society and called for immigrants to adopt "Swedish" values.

Persons: Ulf Kristersson, Kristersson, Charlotte von Essen, Ints, Tobias Billstrom, Billstrom, Johan Ahlander, Simon Johnson, Terje Solsvik, William Maclean Organizations: Atlantic Treaty Organization, TT, Swedish, NATO, REUTERS, United Nations, of Islamic, Sweden Democrats, Thomson Locations: STOCKHOLM, Swedish, Sweden, Denmark, Turkey, Ukraine, Sweden's, Baghdad, Vilnius, Lithuania, Russia, Iran, Iraq, Algeria, Lebanon

Those export controls, which "were imposed for important reasons," remain in place, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's office said in statement. "The Prime Minister discussed Sweden's accession to NATO with our partners in Vilnius, including with President Erdogan," the statement said. Ahead of the NATO summit, Turkey, already seeking assurances over the F-16s in talks with Washington, asked that Canada's export controls also be rolled in to the final discussion, the person familiar with the talks said. At Vilnius, Canada outlined its position to Turkey on rules regarding uses of any exported technologies, and was awaiting a response. This means the talks on export controls are no longer frozen, a move that helped play a role sealing Erdogan's pledge over Sweden, the person said.

Persons: Erdogan, Tayyip Erdogan's greenlight, Justin Trudeau's, Joe Biden, Devlet Bahceli, We've, Huseyin Hayatsever, Jonathan Spicer, Steve Scherer, John Irish, Tom Perry, Jamie Freed Organizations: NATO, Atlantic, Organization, Canada, Canadian, Washington, U.S, Kurdistan Workers Party, European Union, Nationalist Movement Party, Erdogan's, Thomson Locations: Turkey, Erdogan, ANKARA, Canada, Ankara, Sweden, Stockholm, Vilnius, Washington, United States, Armenia, Nagorno, Karabakh, Finland, Turkish, Ukraine, Turkey's, Helsinki, European, Istanbul, Ottawa

WASHINGTON, July 12 (Reuters) - Democratic and Republic senators renewed an effort to block any U.S. president from leaving NATO on Wednesday, as leaders of the alliance attended an eventful summit in Vilnius, Lithuania. The joint resolution, seen by Reuters, is a fresh effort by Congress to prevent the president from withdrawing from the alliance without the Senate's approval. Lead sponsors include Democratic Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees, and Republican Senator Marco Rubio, vice chairman of the intelligence committee, who is also a senior member of the foreign relations panel. The current president, Democrat Joe Biden, has been a strong supporter of NATO, backing its expansion and working with other members, especially on the response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He is expected to celebrate its unity over Ukraine in a speech at the Vilnius summit on Wednesday.

Persons: Tim Kaine, Marco Rubio, Donald Trump, Kaine, Joe Biden, Patricia Zengerle, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Democratic, NATO, Reuters, Atlantic Treaty, Congress, Foreign Relations, Armed Services, Republican, Thomson Locations: Vilnius, Lithuania, United States, Atlantic, Washington, DC, Ukraine, Kyiv

[1/3] Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg meet during a NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania July 12, 2023. REUTERS/Yves HermanTOKYO, July 12 (Reuters) - Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Wednesday he welcomed that Japan and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) had agreed on a new partnership programme, ahead of his attendance at the NATO Vilnius summit. At a joint announcement with NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg, Kishida said he looked forward to furthering cooperation in new areas including cyber-security, and hoped to deepen cooperation with NATO as it increases its engagement with the Indo-Pacific. The new partnership programme comes as NATO explores a deeper engagement with Asia while China increases its military presence. China has lashed out at a communique issued by NATO during its two-day summit in Lithuania's capital Vilnius claiming that China challenged the military alliance's interests, security, and values.

Persons: Fumio Kishida, Jens Stoltenberg, Yves Herman TOKYO, Kishida, Stoltenberg, Sakura Murakami, Kentaro Sugiyama, Michael Perry Organizations: NATO, REUTERS, Japan's, Atlantic Treaty Organization, Thomson Locations: Vilnius, Lithuania, Japan, NATO Vilnius, Asia, China, North Korea, Europe, Lithuania's

☆ Leaders of Turkey and Greece vow to repair ties after year of tension
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis meets with Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan during a NATO leaders summit in Vilnius, Lithuania July 12, 2023. Dimitris Papamitsos/Greek Prime Minister's Office/Handout via REUTERSATHENS, July 12 (Reuters) - Greece and Turkey agreed on Wednesday to resume talks and confidence-building measures as they hailed a new "positive climate" in ties after more than a year of tensions between the historic foes. Relations improved when Greece became one of the first countries to send rescue workers to help pull survivors from the rubble after a devastating earthquake hit Turkey in February. "We are cautiously optimistic we can turn a new page," Mitsotakis told reporters after the summit. Reporting by Renee Maltezou; Additional reporting by Huseyin Hayatsever; Editing by Conor HumphriesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Tayyip Erdogan, Dimitris Papamitsos, Erdogan, Mitsotakis, Renee Maltezou, Huseyin Hayatsever, Conor Humphries Organizations: NATO, Minister's, REUTERS, Atlantic Treaty Organization, Greek, Cooperation, Thomson Locations: Vilnius, Lithuania, REUTERS ATHENS, Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, United States, Greek, Thessalonki

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