NATO member Romania pushes to buy US-made F-35 fighter jets
April 11, 2023 GMTBUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romania’s top defense body approved on Tuesday the acquisition of an unspecified number of American-made F-35 fighter jets, as the NATO-member state pushes to modernize its air force, Romania’s presidential office said.
Greece to send more arms to Ukraine, but sets limits
April 6, 2023 GMTATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece has pledged military assistance to Ukraine for “as long as it takes” but officials cautioned that the country needs to keep much of its Russian-made weaponry for its own defensive needs.
As Finland joins its ranks NATO ponders Ukraine’s prospects
April 5, 2023 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — As Finland joined NATO this week, casting aside a history of military nonalignment, a small but noisy group of Ukraine supporters outside the security fence at the alliance’s headquarters used a loudspeaker system to chant “Ukraine needs NATO,” “Ukraine in NATO,” and “Ukraine needs fighter jets.”
Relief, but some mixed feelings, as Finland joins NATO
April 4, 2023 GMTHELSINKI (AP) — The selling points of the charming bed-and-breakfast are its century-old buildings, its spacious rooms and its proximity to Russia, a short cross-country ski trip to the east.
Finland joins NATO in major blow to Russia over Ukraine war
April 4, 2023 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — Finland joined the NATO military alliance Tuesday, dealing a major blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin with a historic realignment of Europe's post-Cold War security landscape triggered by Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
Finland doubling NATO’s border with Russia in blow to Putin
April 3, 2023 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — The blue-and-white Finnish flag rises outside NATO headquarters Tuesday afternoon, making Finland a member and doubling Russia’s border with the world’s biggest security alliance.
The move is a strategic and political blow to President Vladimir Putin, who has long complained about NATO’s expansion toward Russia and partly used that as a justification for his country’s war with Ukraine.
Finland’s NATO membership: What’s next?
April 3, 2023 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — Finland is set to join NATO on Tuesday, days after Turkey ratified the Nordic country’s membership and set it on track to become the 31st member of the world's biggest military alliance.
Finland’s NATO membership: What’s next?
March 31, 2023 GMTHELSINKI (AP) — Finland received the green light to join NATO when Turkey ratified the Nordic country's membership late Thursday, becoming the last country in the 30-member Western military alliance to sign off.
Turkey’s parliament ratifies Finland’s membership in NATO
March 30, 2023 GMTANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey’s parliament on Thursday ratified Finland’s application to join NATO, lifting the last hurdle in the way of the Nordic country’s long-delayed accession into the Western military alliance.
Hungarian parliament approves Finland’s bid to join NATO
March 27, 2023 GMTBUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungary’s parliament on Monday approved Finland’s bid to join NATO, putting an end to months of delays and bringing the Nordic country one step closer to becoming a full member of the Western military alliance.
Hungary: Criticism makes it hard to cooperate with West
March 25, 2023 GMTUNITED NATIONS (AP) — The West’s steady criticism of Hungary on democratic and cultural issues makes the small European country’s right-wing government reluctant to offer support on practical matters, specifically NATO’s buildup against Russia, Hungary’s foreign minister said.
President seals Finland’s NATO bid by signing required laws
March 23, 2023 GMTHELSINKI (AP) — The Finnish president on Thursday formally sealed the Nordic country’s historic bid to join NATO by signing into law the required national legal amendments needed for membership in the Western military alliance.
Swedish lawmakers vote to endorse country joining NATO
March 22, 2023 GMTCOPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Swedish lawmakers overwhelmingly voted Wednesday in favor of Sweden joining NATO, signing off on the country's membership along with the required legislation.
NATO to hold Ukraine meeting despite Hungary’s objections
March 21, 2023 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Tuesday that he would call a high-level meeting of the military organization’s main forum for cooperation with Ukraine next month despite objections from Hungary.
Turkey’s president says he will back Finland’s NATO bid
March 17, 2023 GMTISTANBUL (AP) — Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday that his government would move forward with ratifying Finland’s NATO application, paving the way for the country to join the military bloc ahead of Sweden.
Hungary pressures EU by delaying Finland, Sweden NATO vote
March 16, 2023 GMTBUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — After Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Sweden and Finland dropped their longstanding military neutrality and quickly signaled their intentions to join NATO, in a striking sign of how powerful Europe's security fears had become in the shadow of Moscow's war.
Swedish leader: Finland likely to join NATO before Sweden
March 14, 2023 GMTHELSINKI (AP) — Sweden's prime minister acknowledged Tuesday that it is increasingly likely that neighbor Finland will join NATO before his country does, due to Turkey's opposition to the Swedish bid.
NATO chief in new drive to bring Finland, Sweden in
March 9, 2023 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Thursday launched a new attempt to get Finland and Sweden accepted as members of the world’s biggest military organization by the time U.S.
NATO chief confident Nordic pair will join despite holdups
January 10, 2023 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg expressed confidence Tuesday that Finland and Sweden will join the military alliance, just days after the government in Stockholm said it had done all it could to satisfy Turkey’s reservations about its membership.
NATO chief: Sweden has done what’s needed to join alliance
January 9, 2023 GMTSTOCKHOLM (AP) — It’s time for Sweden to join NATO because it has done what’s necessary to secure Turkey’s approval for membership, the military alliance's secretary-general said Monday.
“I have said that time has come to bring to an end the ratification process for Sweden,” Jens Stoltenberg told Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet in an interview.
Serbia says KFOR rejected its forces’ return to Kosovo
January 8, 2023 GMTBELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — NATO-led peacekeepers in Kosovo have rejected a demand from Serbia that its security forces be allowed to return to the breakaway province amid ongoing tensions, Serbia's president said Sunday.
Kosovo Serbs to remove barricades that triggered tensions
December 29, 2022 GMTBELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic said late Wednesday that Serbs will start removing their barricades in Kosovo on Thursday in a move that could deescalate tensions that triggered fears of new clashes in the Balkans.
Clashes at Montenegro protests amid political tension
December 12, 2022 GMTPODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) — Clashes erupted on Monday during an opposition protest in Montenegro reflecting a deep political crisis between the pro-Western and pro-Serb and pro-Russian camps in the small Balkan country that is a member of NATO.
EXPLAINER: Why do Kosovo-Serbia tensions persist?
December 12, 2022 GMTBELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Tensions between Serbia and Kosovo flared anew during the past week after Serbs erected barricades on the main roads in the north of Kosovo, a former Serbian province.
NATO back in its comfort zone after the chaos of Afghanistan
January 27, 2022 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — NATO is right back in its element. As tensions mount with Russia, the world’s biggest military organization is focused on security: defending the territory of its 30 member countries.
Ensure NATO Is Preserved
April 4, 2019 GMTSince the end of World War II, Europe has had the longest sustained period of peace in its troubled history. The principal reason for that may be summarized in a single acronym: NATO. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was founded 70 years ago today to ensure that countries of Europe, devastated by World War II, did not begin moving again toward renewed confrontation, as they did after World War I.