Senate To Introduce Bipartisan Resolution To Fast-Track Finland, Sweden NATO Applications
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) are developing a bipartisan resolution to urge the Biden administration to fast-track Finland and Sweden’s applications to become members of NATO.
The resolution is set for markup with the Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday.
“NATO has been the cornerstone of Western defense since World War II, and President Niinistö of Finland and Prime Minister Andersson of Sweden are showing strong leadership in joining the United States and its allies against Putin’s deeply immoral campaign of violence,” Schumer said in a statement Monday.
“As the world’s democracies unite against Putin and his crony oligarchs, Finland and Sweden’s ascension into NATO will be a further rebuke of Putin’s murderous attack on Ukraine,” he added.
McConnell added his support for Finland and Sweden in a similar statement.
“Finland and Sweden are strong countries with formidable military capabilities that surpass many existing NATO allies. Both nations’ robust defense funding means their accession would meaningfully bolster our pursuit of greater burden-sharing across the alliance,” he said.
The resolution was authored by New Jersey Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez and Idaho Republican Sen. Jim Risch, who serve as leaders of the Foreign Relations Committee.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine “has dramatically changed the security situation in Europe,” the resolution notes, making NATO expansion critical for the security of the U.S. and its European partners.
Last week, a bipartisan Senate vote approved an additional $40 billion in funding to Ukraine in an 86-11 vote. The 11 votes against the package came from Republicans opposed to additional spending while inflation and gas prices soar nationwide.
McConnell, following a recent surprise visit to Ukraine, seemed to suggest that Republican senators who opposed the bill were isolationists.
“There have always been isolationist voices in the Republican Party,” he said. “I think one of the lessons we learned in World War II is not standing
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