NATO members took a major step on Tuesday to welcome Sweden and Finland into the transatlantic military alliance, as delegations gathered in Brussels to sign “accession protocols” for the two states to join. The protocols must then be ratified by the 30 member states in their national parliaments, a process that can take months. “This is truly a historic moment for Finland, for Sweden, for NATO — and for our common security,” Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said, noting that NATO’s door “remains open” to other democracies. The signing ceremony follows a decision during a NATO summit in Madrid last week to invite Sweden and Finland to join the alliance. It came after some controversy with NATO member Turkey, which had blocked the countries’ participation due to historical complaints about what Ankara saw as their support for militant groups. A deal was struck to end the standoff when Sweden and Finland agreed to address issues raised by Turkey, including the possible extradition of Kurds labeled “terrorists” by Turkish authorities. Decisions by Finland and Sweden, traditionally non-aligned militarily, to join NATO will not only transform Europe’s security landscape, but will likely further strain relations with Russia, which opposes the alliance’s expansion near its borders. Delegations from Finland and Sweden at the signing event expressed their gratitude and said the accession would enhance “collective security” and help the alliance. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was the main factor that led the two countries to seek membership. “This is a good day for NATO,” Stoltenberg added. After the invasion of Ukraine, an account of Russian influence in Austria The ceremony in Brussels came as Russian forces continued to make “substantial progress” in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region after capturing the town of Lysychansk, according to Britain’s Ministry of Defence. Unlike earlier phases of the war, Russia appears to have “achieved reasonably effective coordination” between groups of its armed forces under military leaders, the ministry said on Tuesday. However, the intelligence briefing added that Ukrainian forces have likely withdrawn in good order and according to existing plans. “There is a realistic possibility that Ukrainian forces will now be able to return to a more easily defensible, aligned front line,” it said. The ministry said it predicted that further fighting for Donbas would be characterized by a “slow pace of advance” by Russian forces and the massive use of artillery “levelling towns and cities in the process”. And on Tuesday, Russia fired missiles at a market and a residential area in the eastern Ukrainian city of Sloviansk, damaging several houses and destroying one. At least two people were killed and seven were injured, officials said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in his nightly video address on Monday, said “colossal funds” would be needed to rebuild vital infrastructure, including schools, hospitals and waste treatment plants, and to restore “normal economic life”. . Zelensky said “tens of thousands” of homes have been destroyed across the country and “thousands of businesses are out of business”. “That’s why Ukraine’s recovery is not only about what needs to be done later, after we win, but also about what needs to be done right now,” he said. “The reconstruction of our state is not only the restoration of the walls we had. … Ukraine must become the freest, most modern and safest country in Europe.” Earlier Monday, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal estimated at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Lugano, Switzerland, that his country needs $750 billion for a sweeping three-stage reconstruction and recovery plan. Did Putin Unwittingly Create a Stronger NATO? On Tuesday, Russia’s lower house approved legislation that would force businesses to produce whatever the government wants, at a price and schedule it sets. The legislation, among two measures that cleared the State Duma, is expected to move quickly through both houses of the Russian parliament before being signed into law by President Vladimir Putin. Since its invasion of Ukraine, Russia has struggled to maintain personnel and equipment, with Western countries imposing broad sanctions and supplying Ukraine with weapons. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov said it is necessary to “optimize” the work of the military-industrial complex and related enterprises. He said the legislation would allow Russia to mobilize its economy to support what Moscow calls a “special military operation” against Ukraine. “This does not mean that any business — small, medium-sized businesses, whatever — will necessarily be involved in the implementation of state defense mandate measures,” he said, noting that companies that do not produce goods for the military will not be affected. “There’s no need for that.” One of the two bills said the state could impose “special economic measures” during military operations, requiring companies to supply goods and services to the military. The second bill will give the government the power to change the working hours of businesses that supply the goods — workers may be asked to work at night, weekends and holidays — with the option without annual leave. Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of the State Duma, said discussions on the measures would continue behind closed doors on Wednesday. Suliman reported from London, Chui from Washington and Dixon from Riga, Latvia.
