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| | Vladimir Putin tried and failed to 'close NATO’s door,' Jens Stoltenberg tells Euronews
By Euronews Brussels bureau
After years of political paralysis, NATO’s enlargement is going full steam.
Earlier this week, representatives of Sweden and Finland flew to Brussels to sign their countries' accession protocols, setting in motion a ratification process that has to go through the parliaments of all 30 member states.
Canada, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Estonia and the United Kingdom have already signed off the texts.
The accession of Sweden and Finland will be “the fastest” in the alliance's history and will take months, rather than years, to complete, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told Euronews.
“I'm very careful predicting or promising anything [about] parliaments. But last time, it took roughly a year and many allies have expressed that they can try to do it faster this time,” Stoltenberg said.
“So hopefully, we will most likely speak about months,” he added. “There is a strong political will to ratify in the different allied countries.”
A final unanimous vote is required to conclude proceedings. Once inside the selected club, Sweden and Finland will automatically benefit from the alliance's collective defence.
“President [Vladimir] Putin actually tried to close NATO's door,” Stoltenberg told our colleague Méabh Mc Mahon. “What we demonstrate today is that NATO's door remains open and that we stand together.”
The momentous decision to enlarge the alliance was only made possible after last week Turkey agreed to lift its veto on Sweden and Finland’s applications at a summit in Madrid.
Ankara gave up its opposition by signing a joint memorandum in which Stockholm and Helsinki commit to intensify the fight against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), remove arms embargoes and address Turkey's pending deportation requests “expeditiously and thoroughly.”
The wording has raised concerns that both countries offered too many concessions to Turkey, whose president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, called the deal a “diplomatic win” for his country.
“The document provides a good platform for Turkey, Finland and Sweden to work even closer on fighting terrorism. That's a common goal that we all agreed on: the need to fight terrorism in all its forms and manifestations,” said Stoltenberg, who moderated the talks between the three countries.
“No other NATO ally has suffered more from terrorism than Turkey.”
In the interview with Euronews, the secretary-general also discussed the latest developments in Ukraine, which has now entered a new phase in the Donbas region.
“What we see now is a brutal war of attrition under President Putin. We see that, by using massive force, artillery, and a brutal bombardment, they are killing people, they are destroying cities,” Stoltenberg said.
“But at the same time, we also see that the strength and the bravery of the Ukrainian armed forces actually proves that Russia totally underestimated Ukraine,” he noted.
“We have seen that Ukraine has also been able to launch some offensive operations, for instance, by liberating or retaking Snake Island.”
Asked if Western sanctions were working to put the brakes on the Kremlin's war machine, Stoltenberg replied “absolutely.”
“We see that the sanctions have a direct consequence for his economy. So, it is this combination of heavy sanctions imposed by NATO allies, the European Union, but also the significant [military] support,” he said.
“President Putin also underestimated the unity and the will by NATO allies and partners to stand up.”
GO DEEPER Besides the Turkish veto, another issue that featured prominently at last week’s NATO summit was the defence of Ceuta and Melilla, the Spanish enclaves in Africa. Does Article 5 of collective defence apply to these two territories? The founding treaty suggests it doesn’t, but a new strategic concept offers a different interpretation.
| | WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?
THE LATEST It’s been 20 weeks since Russia launched the invasion of Ukraine. Russia is expected to launch a new offensive to fully invade the Donetsk province, in the eastern Donbas, after Russia claimed control of neighbouring Luhansk. The governor of Donetsk has already urged more than 350,000 residents to flee. Also this week, Russian and Norwegian officials agreed to settle a dispute over coal mining shipments to the archipelago of Svalbard. Meanwhile in Strasbourg, the European Parliament called on Serbia to “urgently align” itself with the EU’s stance on Russia and break off its close relations with President Putin. And Lithuania showed off a crowdfunded Turkish-made military drone bound to Ukraine.
TOTAL SUSPENSION As the West continues to pile sanctions on the Kremlin, the European Union is bracing itself for a complete interruption of Russian gas flows, a scenario that would almost certainly trigger a deep recession across the bloc. “Putin continues to use energy as a weapon,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Jorge Liboreiro takes a look at all the EU countries that have been totally or partially cut off from Russian gas.
‘GREENWASHING’ Amid jeers and boos from activists, Members of the European Parliament endorsed a highly controversial plan to label investments in gas and nuclear as sustainable. The backlash against the move risks undermining the credibility of the whole list of green activities, known as the EU Taxonomy. Alice Tidey has more details about the vote and its implications.
WOMEN’S RIGHTS Also this week, MEPs demanded the right to “safe and legal” abortion to be added to the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. The non-binding resolution points the finger at Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and Croatia, calling on them to do more to guarantee the procedure. Ahead of the vote, Efi Koutsokosta asked MEPs about their real feelings on abortion.
| | GET EXIT DONE Embattled British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has succumbed to his own scandals and agreed to quit his position amid a record-breaking flood of ministerial resignations. Kit Gilles examines why the Conservatives have fallen out of love with their own leader and picks the favourite candidates to replace him. And we also have the EU’s reaction to Johnson’s dramatic exit.
RENT NIGHTMARE Enticed by successful programmes to attract foreign investment, new real estate developments, renovation projects and tourist accommodation have mushroomed all over Lisbon. As a result, property prices and rents have skyrocketed, pushing many lifelong residents out of their homes. In the new episode of Euronews Witness, Julián Gómez ventures into Lisbon’s housing crisis.
SEX WORK Spain is moving to abolish prostitution under a new law that would fine clients, punish pimps and turn sex workers into crime victims. But not everybody is on board with the idea. "Why don’t they leave us alone?” Linda, a sex worker, told Heather Galloway. "They want to portray us as mentally ill, but we’re strong."
TRAVEL CHAOS Staff strikes, winding queues, last-minute cancellations, piles of abandoned luggage and thousands of passengers stranded. This messy picture is becoming increasingly common across European airports. What exactly is going on? Euronews Travel breaks down the reasons behind the summer of chaos and disruption.
SKIP THE QUEUE If you’re not in the mood for travelling, here are seven of Europe’s best online exhibitions.
| | IT'S IN THE NUMBERS
A new report from the United Nations shows the world is moving backwards in its efforts to eradicate hunger and malnutrition. The number of people affected by hunger globally rose to as many as 828 million in 2021, an increase of about 150 million since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This means 9.8% of the world population is affected by hunger. The gender gap in food insecurity continued to widen last year, reaching a difference of 4 percentage points.
| | EDITOR'S CHOICE
Germany’s popular €9-a-month rail pass masks a bigger problem
| | This summer, the mood in German cities is somewhat different. The government has introduced a country-wide ticket to enjoy unlimited use of local and regional trains for just €9 a month. The measure has been designed to encourage sustainable travel and prevent road congestion. But alongside the novell rail ticket, the German state has also offered a one-off tax credit of €300 and a 30-cent per litre tax reduction on vehicle fuels in a bid to mitigate the impact of inflation. The convergence of the two plans has raised eyebrows as they threaten to negate each other’s benefits. It also raises questions about the inherent contradictions of Germany’s three-party coalition, writes Dave Braneck.
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