Sweden and Finland have been formally invited to join the North Atlantic Alliance by NATO members, the alliance announced in a communiqué following its summit in Madrid.

According to the statement, « We are at a crucial time for both our security and peace and stability of the world. »

Russia is « the most important and urgent danger to the security » of the alliance members and « peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic region, » according to NATO, which also said it endorsed the bloc’s new strategic concept. NATO declared that it was prepared to keep thwarting Russian threats and retaliating against its « hostile activities. »

The alliance emphasized that it would « continue to defend its population and every square inch of allied territory » and that it planned to intensify joint collective defense drills in order to be prepared to conduct a variety of operations and send reinforcements to any of its allies at a moment’s notice.

source: reuters.com