NATO moves to expand the alliance and boost defenses to counter Russia

Judy Woodruff:

Today in Madrid, NATO's 30 leaders officially invited Finland and Sweden to become members, and they released a new strategic vision that called Russia the alliance's most significant threat.

Meanwhile, the U.S. announced that it would deploy thousands of additional troops to Europe.

Nick Schifrin reports now from Madrid.

Nick Schifrin:

They arrived in Europe as Europe faces war. The leaders of the world's largest military alliance today celebrated what they see as a coalition renewed.

Joe Biden, President of the United States: The United States and our allies, we're going to step up. We're stepping up. We're proving that NATO is more needed now than it ever has been.

Nick Schifrin:

In a meeting with Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, President Biden announced new U.S. military deployments, including more F-35s to the U.K., more ships to Spain, additional air defenses to Germany and Italy, a brigade combat team of more than 3,000 troops to Romania.

And, in Poland for the first time since the Cold War, the U.S. will create a permanent U.S. base in Eastern Europe, the Army Fifth Corps Forward Headquarters.

Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges (Ret.), U.S. Army: People scoff at having a headquarters, but it's the headquarters which allow you to bring in and add things, whether it's U.S. or allies or joint forces.

Nick Schifrin:

Ben Hodges is the former commander of U.S. Army Europe. I spoke to him from the summit's media center.

And why is the word permanent so symbolically important?

Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges:

Well, that tells our allies that we're not leaving. And it also tells the Russians that we're not leaving.

Nick Schifrin:

The new U.S. troops in Romania highlight growing concern about inroads in Southeastern Europe.

Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges:

The Black Sea region has been lacking attention for decades. All of the frozen conflicts are in the Black Sea region, from Georgia, to Transnistria. Russia has established sort of a new Iron Curtain between NATO and non-NATO countries.

Romania is the center of gravity for us in the Black Sea region. It is the place from which we can project power and conduct operations best in the Black Sea region.

Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary-General:

Today, leaders have endorsed NATO's new strategic concept.

Nick Schifrin:

NATO today also adopted a new long-term strategy. The last strategy in 2010 said: "We want to see a true strategic partnership between NATO and Russia." The new document calls Russia the most significant and direct threat to allies' security and for the first time cites China.

Jens Stoltenberg:

China's coercion policies challenge our interests, security and values.

President Joe Biden:

I want to particularly thank you for what you did putting together the situation with regard to Finland and Sweden.

Nick Schifrin:

On the summit's sidelines, President Biden praised Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for lifting his objection to Finland and Sweden joining NATO. The U.S. says that deal had nothing to do with Turkey's desire to purchase new American F-16 fighter jets.

But, today, the administration for the first time publicly endorsed Turkeys desire to modernize its jets, despite congressional resistance.

If Russian President Vladimir Putin is feeling the heat from a reinvigorated NATO, he chose today to rally his own friends, including Iran and three central Asian former Soviet states. Russia and the West continue to take new confrontational steps.

Today, Stoltenberg denied it was a new Cold War, but he vowed, in Ukraine, the West would not blink.

Jens Stoltenberg:

Ukraine can count on us for as long as it takes.

Nick Schifrin:

Stoltenberg was talking about the message that NATO delivered President Zelenskyy during a virtual meeting today.

The message that Zelenskyy delivered NATO, he was not happy that Ukraine is still waiting for an official invitation 14 years after NATO first promised it. He told NATO leaders today — quote — "NATO's open-door policy should not resemble the Kyiv metro turnstiles. They're open and, when you approach, the turnstiles close until you pay. Hasn't Ukraine paid enough?"

And compared to the years that Ukraine has been waiting, Finland and Sweden are expected to join NATO within a matter of months — Judy.

Judy Woodruff:

And, Nick, meantime, tell us about the steps that NATO and Turkey took today after this deal that Turkey agreed to, to let Finland and Sweden join.

Nick Schifrin:

Yes, NATO leaders officially invited Finland and Sweden to join the alliance. That was seen as a formality.

But Turkey took a step today, referring to the deal's clause that there were possible extraditions. And Turkish officials today demanded that Sweden and Finland extradite Kurds that Turkey claims are terrorists. Some of them actually are journalists who fled Turkey for fear of their lives.

Reporters asked the Finnish president and the Swedish prime minister about Turkey's demands today. And those leaders, frankly, dismissed them, saying that the questions of extradition were up to the courts.

And, Judy, it's just not clear what Turkey is going to do if its demands continue not to be met.

Judy Woodruff:

Will certainly be worth watching what happens there.

And, Nick, what about the U.S. announcements today? How do they fit in with what we were discussing last night, which is NATO planning to fortify its eastern flank?

Nick Schifrin:

Yes, as we were talking about, NATO will send more troops to the Baltics, from about 1,000 troops — that's a battalion level — in each country to a brigade, more than 3,000 troops.

The U.S. will contribute to those additional troops, even as what we talked about tonight, the U.S. base in Poland and the U.S. brigade combat team in Romania, are actually exclusively U.S. forces.

Separately, NATO will dramatically increase the number of troops that are on high alert from 40,000 to 300,000. The U.S. will participate in that with pre-assigned American troops staying in the U.S., but able to deploy at a rapid level, and also with pre-assigned equipment on the eastern flank, Judy, that those troops will be able to use if they have to deploy.

Judy Woodruff:

And last thing, Nick. Tell us how Russia is responding to these announcements today by President Biden about additional troops, U.S. troops, in Europe.

Nick Schifrin:

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said today that the U.S. was under the — quote — "illusion" it would be able to intimidate and restrain Russia. "It will not succeed."

Of course, Judy, NATO officials say it is Russia that is trying to intimidate and restrain NATO. Eastern European officials have long wanted the U.S. and Western European officials to see Russia's threats as empty.

The senior U.S. officials I talk to still fear some kind of escalation. But, for now, Judy, they are willing to take steps to bolster European security that they haven't taken in decades.

Judy Woodruff:

All right, Nick Schifrin reporting for us from the NATO summit in Madrid.

Thank you, Nick.

Nick Schifrin:

Thank you.