NATO

NATO seeks to narrow differences over Ukraine membership bid

By Sabine Siebold BRUSSELS (Reuters) - NATO foreign ministers will seek to narrow divisions over Ukraine's membership bid at a meeting in Oslo this week, with allies at odds over…

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Sweden, Turkey to hold NATO discussions ‘soon’

STOCKHOLM, May 29 (Reuters) - The foreign ministers of Sweden and Turkey will meet "soon" to discuss Stockholm's delayed bid to join NATO, the Swedish foreign ministry said on Monday.…

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NATO urges Kosovo to de-escalate tension with Serbia

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - NATO urged Kosovo to dial down tensions with Serbia, a day after its government forcibly accessed municipal buildings to install mayors in ethnic Serb areas in the…

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China says NATO’s plan for Japan office not welcomed in Asia-Pacific

BEIJING, May 24 (Reuters) - The Asia-Pacific region does not welcome NATO's plan to open a liaison office in Japan, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a press…

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Norway PM says Sweden should be admitted to NATO in July

OSLO, May 22 (Reuters) - NATO's Vilnius summit in July should give approval for Sweden to become a member of the organisation, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere told foreign…

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NATO reaches back to Cold War past with first major defence plans in decades

NATO braces for 'conflict that can present itself at any time' Plans will require better readiness and improved logistics Leaders expected to take decision at Vilnius summit in July By…

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Zelenskiy seeks positive decision on Ukraine NATO bid at July summit

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy issued a new appeal to NATO on Monday to make a "positive political decision" on Kyiv's membership bid at a July summit. Ukraine's…

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No flight cancellations expected during largest NATO air drill in history

LONDON (Reuters) - NATO's largest ever air deployment exercise, set to take place in June, is unlikely to lead to commercial flight cancellations, Europe's lead air traffic manager said, after…

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Allies have sent almost all promised combat vehicles to Ukraine, NATO chief says

BRUSSELS, April 27 (Reuters) - NATO allies and partners have delivered almost all their promised combat vehicles to Ukraine, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday. "More than 98%…

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Three Russian aircraft intercepted over Baltic Sea – German air force

BERLIN, April 26 (Reuters) - Three Russian military aircraft flying without transponder signals have been intercepted in international airspace over the Baltic Sea, Germany's Luftwaffe said on Wednesday. Germany and…

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NATO’s Stoltenberg reaffirms Ukraine to eventually join alliance

RAMSTEIN, Germany, April 21 (Reuters) - All NATO allies have agreed that Ukraine will eventually become a member of the alliance but the main focus now is to ensure the…

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German defence minister: Now is not time to discuss Ukraine NATO membership

BERLIN, April 21 (Reuters) - German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius rejected a quick decision on Ukraine's membership at NATO, the Western alliance that has supported Ukraine throughout its war with…

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UPDATED: Ukraine’s rightful place is in NATO, alliance chief says in rare visit to Kyiv

KYIV, April 20 (Reuters) - Ukraine's future lies in NATO, the Western military alliance's chief Jens Stoltenberg underscored on Thursday during his first visit to the country since Russia's invasion…

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US urges NATO vigilance for signs Russia could use nuclear weapon in Ukraine

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. and its NATO allies must remain alert for signs Russian President Vladimir Putin could use a tactical nuclear weapon in a "managed" escalation of his…

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Pentagon investigating leak of US and Nato plans to help Ukraine

The Pentagon is investigating a reported security breach that saw documents that provide details of US and Nato plans to help prepare Ukraine for a spring offensive against Russia have…

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What can Finland’s armed forces and arsenal offer NATO?

HELSINKI (Reuters) - Finland joined NATO on Tuesday, bringing the Western defence alliance significant military capabilities developed over the years. Finland is one of few European countries to have retained…

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NATO needs bigger presence in Black Sea, Romania’s president says

NATO needs a bigger presence in the Black Sea, Romania's President Klaus Iohannis said on Monday (April 3) after meeting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. “The Black Sea is now, more…

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Russia says it will beef up military in northwest as Finland joins NATO

Russia will strengthen its military capacity in its western and northwestern regions in response to Finland's expected accession to NATO on Tuesday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said, state-owned…

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UPDATED: Finland to officially join NATO on Tuesday

Finland will officially become a member of NATO on Tuesday, the Finnish president's office has announced. The announcement was also confirmed by NATO's secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, who said the…

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Ursula von der Leyen in the running to be new NATO head

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is in the running to be the new head of Nato, The Sun newspaper reported, citing a diplomatic source. A number of Nato member states have suggested von der Leyen would…

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Russia bid to ‘weaponize energy’ on Blinken agenda at NATO meet

By Simon Lewis WASHINGTON, (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will push back on Russia's attempts to "weaponize energy" and rally support for a Ukrainian counteroffensive when he…

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Denmark acknowledges military shortcomings as it hosts large NATO drill

OKSBOL, Denmark, (Reuters) - Denmark has major shortcoming in its ability to defend its territory and meet its NATO commitments despite pledges to increase defence spending, its army chief said,…

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Turkish parliament ratifies Finland’s NATO accession as Sweden kept waiting

ANKARA, (Reuters) - Turkey's parliament approved a bill on Thursday to allow Finland to join NATO, clearing the way for the country to become part of the Western defence alliance…

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Sweden summons Russia’s ambassador over “legitimate target” statement

Sweden's foreign ministry said on Wednesday it will summon Russia's Stockholm ambassador to complain about an "attempt at interference" with the Swedish NATO application process.Sweden and Finland in 2022 both…

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NATO’s Stoltenberg hails Turkish move on Finland membership, sees Sweden joining soon

BRUSSELS, March 17 (Reuters) - NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Friday hailed Turkey's decision to move ahead with ratifying Finland's bid for membership of the military alliance and said he was confident…

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In show of unity, NATO and EU heads visit North Sea gas platform

TROLL A PLATFORM, North Sea, March 17 (Reuters) - The heads of NATO and the European Commission flew on Friday to a North Sea platform to discuss the security of…

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Turkey plans to ratify Finland’s NATO bid ahead of May polls

By Orhan Coskun ANKARA, March 15 (Reuters) - Turkey's parliament will "highly likely" ratify Finland's NATO accession bid before it closes in mid-April, two Turkish officials told Reuters on Wednesday,…

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Hungary PM says more talks needed on Finland, Sweden NATO bids

Hungary lawmakers to start NATO expansion debate next Weds Final vote on ratification due on week of March 6 -agenda Orban says Turkey's concerns over Sweden must he heard Lawmakers…

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Biden to meet eastern NATO allies in wake of Putin’s nuclear warning

By Nandita Bose and Alan Charlish WARSAW, Feb 22 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden will meet leaders of NATO's eastern flank on Wednesday to show support for their security…

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Fresh from Kyiv, Biden rallies NATO allies in Poland

Fresh from an unannounced visit to Ukraine, President Joe Biden rallied NATO allies in Poland on Tuesday, proclaiming "unwavering" support for Kyiv and a commitment to bolstering the alliance's eastern…

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Blinken, in Turkey, urges speedy Nordics accession to NATO

Turkey has blocked Swedish, Finnish NATO bids Blinken says Sweden and Finland have taken needed steps Cavusoglu says Sweden needs to take more action By Humeyra Pamuk and Huseyin Hayatsever…

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Finland wants to join NATO at the same time as Sweden – PM Marin

MUNICH, Feb 18 (Reuters) - Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said on Saturday her country was aiming to join NATO at the same time as neighbouring Sweden. Finland has made this desire…

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NATO wants Italy to hit spending target as soon as next year, minister says

By Angelo Amante ROME, Feb 16 (Reuters) - NATO wants Italy to hit a target of spending 2% of gross domestic product (GDP) on defence as early as next year,…

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UPDATED: German defence minister backs raising NATO spending goal

BRUSSELS, Feb 15 (Reuters) - Germany's defence minister said he was in favour of raising NATO's military spending target, as allies gathered in Brussels on Wednesday for talks on whether…

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Boost in arms for Kyiv needed as Putin escalates war – NATO

Western countries need to boost ammunition supplies to Ukraine as Russia escalates its war effort before the first anniversary of the Feb. 24 invasion, NATO military alliance chief Jens Stoltenberg…

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Russia says NATO should hold emergency summit over Nord Stream blasts

Feb 12 (Reuters) - NATO should hold an emergency meeting to discuss recent findings about September explosions at the Nord Stream gas pipelines, Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said late on…

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NATO’s Stoltenberg will not seek another extension of his term – spokesperson

BERLIN, Feb 12 (Reuters) - NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg will end his term as planned in October, a spokesperson for the alliance said, after a newspaper reported a further extension was in…

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Finland to discuss NATO ratification that may leave Sweden behind

HELSINKI, Feb 10 (Reuters) - Finnish parliamentary groups are expected to discuss on Friday when to ratify NATO's founding treaties, in a move that could lead the country to proceed…

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UPDATED: Turkey looks positively on Finland’s NATO bid but not on Sweden’s -Erdogan

ANKARA, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Turkey looks positively on Finland's application for NATO membership, but does not support Sweden's bid, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday. "Our position on Finland is…

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NATO chief stresses importance of Indo-Pacific partners amid security tensions

By Sakura Murakami TOKYO, Feb 1 (Reuters) - NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday stressed the importance of NATO's working closely with partners in the Indo-Pacific, saying Europe could not…

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NATO, Japan pledge to strengthen ties in face of ‘historic’ security threat

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg and Japanese premier Fumio Kishida pledged on Tuesday to strengthen ties, saying Russia's invasion of Ukraine and its growing military cooperation with China had created the…

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Turkey’s Erdogan signals Finland’s NATO bid may be considered over Sweden

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan signalled on Sunday that Ankara may agree to Finland joining NATO ahead of Sweden, amid growing tensions with Stockholm. "We may deliver Finland…

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Explainer-Why is Turkey blocking Sweden and Finland NATO membership?

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) -Swedish and Finnish hopes of quickly joining NATO have run into an obstacle in the form of objections by Turkey, which holds veto powers over accession to the…

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Sweden tells citizens to avoid crowds in Turkey after Koran burning

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Sweden's foreign ministry on Saturday warned Swedes in Turkey to avoid crowds and demonstrations following protests there over the burning of the Koran by a far-right politician…

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Finland says timeout needed in talks with Turkey over NATO bid

Finland's foreign minister said on Tuesday a timeout of a few weeks is needed in the talks between Finland, Sweden and Turkey on the two Nordic nations' plans to join…

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Protests in Stockholm, including Koran-burning, draw condemnation from Turkey

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Protests in Stockholm on Saturday against Turkey and Sweden's bid to join NATO, including the burning of a copy of the Koran, sharply heightened tensions with Turkey…

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Eleven NATO countries pledge new military aid for Ukraine

TAPA MILITARY BASE, Estonia, (Reuters) - A group of 11 NATO countries, including Britain and Poland, pledged a raft of new military aid to support Ukraine's war with Russia on…

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NATO deploys surveillance planes to Romania, to monitor Russian activity

BUCHAREST (Reuters) - A NATO surveillance plane arrived in Romania to bolster the military alliance's eastern flank and help monitor Russian military activity. The plane, the first to be deployed,…

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NATO hints at more heavy weapons for Ukraine

NATO’s secretary general said Ukraine could expect more deliveries of heavy weapons from western countries soon. The recent pledges for heavy warfare equipment are important – and I expect more…

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Ukraine defence minister: We are a de facto member of NATO alliance

Ukraine has become a de facto member of the NATO alliance, the Ukrainian defence minister says, as Western countries, once concerned that military assistance could be seen as an escalation…

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Russia says EU is becoming a vassal of NATO

Russia said on Wednesday that the European Union was becoming a vassal of NATO, citing the signing of a joint declaration in which the two organisations pledged to deepen their…

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NATO and EU pledge to expand cooperation

Spurred by the war in Ukraine, top NATO and EU officials pledged to expand cooperation between the two institutions in a joint declaration signed on Tuesday in Brussels. The 27-member European…

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Swedish PM says cannot meet all Turkey’s demands for NATO membership support

STOCKHOLM, Jan 8 (Reuters) - Sweden is confident that Turkey will approve its application to join the NATO military alliance, but cannot fulfill all the demands Ankara has made as…

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NATO’s Stoltenberg calls for more weapons for Ukraine – DPA

BERLIN (Reuters) - NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called on NATO member states to supply more weapons to Ukraine, according to an interview published on Friday. "I call on allies…

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Neo-Nazi Russian militia appeals for intelligence on Nato member states

A neo-Nazi paramilitary group linked to the Kremlin has asked its members to submit intelligence on border and military activity in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, raising concerns over whether far-right…

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Serbia to ask NATO to deploy Serb military, police in Kosovo – Vucic

BELGRADE (Reuters) -Serbia will ask NATO peacekeepers to let it deploy Serbian military and police in Kosovo, although it believes there is no chance of the request being approved, President…

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NATO’s Stoltenberg cautions against economic dependency on China

BERLIN, Dec 1 (Reuters) - NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday he still believes in the benefits of free trade but warned of the security consequences that come with engaging…

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