NATO marks its 75th birthday as war in Ukraine and rising populism gnaw at its unity
NATO is marking its 75th anniversary
BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO will celebrate on Thursday 75 years of collective defense across Europe and North America as Russia’s war on Ukraine enters its third year and sorely tests the allies’ resolve while rising populism gnaws at their unity.
At a cake-cutting ceremony in Brussels, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his counterparts will mark the moment the alliance’s founding treaty was signed on April 4, 1949, in Washington. A bigger celebration is planned when NATO leaders meet in Washington from July 9 to 11.
Sweden’s foreign minister, Tobias Billström, is taking part in the first ministerial-level meeting since his country became NATO’s 32nd ally last month. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 drove Sweden and its Nordic neighbor Finland into NATO’s arms.
The alliance’s ranks have almost tripled over more than seven decades from its 12 founding members, but Finland and Sweden joined in record time to shelter under NATO’s collective security guarantee, after coming under pressure for compensation from populist leaders in Turkey and Hungary.
