Russia sees NATO expansion as provocation – the nightly update without photos

Scholz also expects Sweden to join NATO soon

Following Finland’s official entry into NATO, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expects Sweden to soon be included in the defense alliance. The federal government continues to assume that, in addition to Finland, its western neighbor Sweden will also participate in the NATO summit in July as a new member, Scholz said on Tuesday evening. “Sweden continues to maintain our full solidarity on this path.”

“This is a historic step that strengthens the alliance as a whole and means greater security in and for Europe,” Scholz said of Finland’s participation in the military alliance. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of a “historic event for our region” and said in his evening video address: “The alliance is getting stronger on the eastern flank.” Only collective and preventive security guarantees such as NATO membership are reliable, as the Russian attack on Ukraine has shown. “The speed of security decisions is important, and now we see how fast the procedures can be.”

Russia sees NATO expansion as a provocation

In the Kremlin, the expansion of the military alliance with a Russian neighbor is seen as a provocation. The state agency TASS quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Grushko as saying that each “responsible general staff” could respond to different scenarios. “This includes scenarios where combat troops are deployed or foreign equipment appears on the territory of the country (Finland).” In any case, Finland will be included in NATO’s operational plans. “It is also included in the planning process (of Russia).”

Shortly after Russian troops invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Finland and Sweden decided to abandon their traditional nonalignment and join NATO. After much back and forth, Finland received the necessary approval from all 30 NATO countries, while Sweden is still waiting for the yes from Turkey and Hungary. Finland has a 1,340 km long border with Russia and is considered a strong military partner.

Zelenskyj invited to NATO summit

The Ukrainian president has also been invited to the upcoming NATO summit in Lithuania. “We look forward to meeting President Zelensky at our summit in Vilnius in July,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in Brussels on Tuesday. The NATO summit will take place in Lithuania’s capital on July 11-12.

The current developments in the live ticker:

Pentagon announces new multi-billion dollar military aid to Ukraine

Meanwhile, the US Department of Defense announced new military aid to Ukraine worth $2.6 billion (nearly €2.4 billion). The pack mainly contains ammunition for artillery pieces and weapon systems such as the Himars multiple rocket launchers. Weapons and ammunition worth $500 million come from US military stockpiles, the Pentagon announced Tuesday. Zelenskyj was pleased with the new help: “Thank you, Mr. President Joe Biden, thank you, Congress, thank you, every American!”

In addition, Ukraine will be supplied with additional $2.1 billion worth of munitions and weapons, which will be purchased from the industry, Washington said. These include air defense radar systems, communication equipment, missile launchers and various types of vehicles such as tanker trucks and transport and recovery vehicles.

NATO is developing a new support program for Ukraine

NATO is developing a new support program for Ukraine. The planned multi-year initiative should help create a deterrent backdrop and ensure the defense of the country, NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg said after consultations at a meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels on Tuesday evening. It is also about moving from Soviet-era Ukrainian equipment and doctrines to NATO standards and improving interoperability with the Western Defense Alliance.

According to information from the German news agency from alliance circles, there is talk of an extension of the support program for ten years and an annual allocation of about 500 million euros.

What will the day bring?

The president of Ukraine and his wife Olena Selenska are expected in Warsaw on Wednesday. Talks are planned with Polish President Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. According to Duda’s adviser Marcin Przydacz, the talks between the two heads of state will mainly focus on defense issues. Political, economic and historical issues are also on the agenda.

Belarusian ruler and Kremlin ally Alexander Lukashenko is expected on Wednesday for a two-day visit to Moscow. His talks with the Russian president are also likely to cover the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus announced by Vladimir Putin, which will be stored right on the border with Poland. (con/sda/dpa)