Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, joined Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) in a letter to President Biden urging him to expedite the Executive Branch’s process to advance Sweden and Finland’s applications for NATO membership and pledging to work with the Administration to ensure swift ratification of the Washington Treaty.
In the letter, the senators noted that NATO’s expansion will send a clear message to Putin and authoritarian leaders across the globe that the free world stands ready to bolster the alliance and defend our values and sovereignty, including through NATO’s open door policy.
“As Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine has proven, NATO, along with our democratic partners around the world, is more united than ever in opposition to the illegal acts of war waged by President Putin. Expanding NATO to include Finland and Sweden will send a clear message to Vladimir Putin, and any leader that attempts to follow in his path, that the free world stands ready to defend its values and sovereignty. We will also continue to support NATO’s open-door policy, which affirms that new members are welcome to the alliance,” wrote the senators.
The senators also affirmed their support for Sweden and Finland’s applications as part of the Senate’s constitutional role to provide advice and consent for NATO enlargement. During this pivotal moment to our global security, they noted this expansion will further strengthen NATO’s military and diplomatic capabilities to address emerging threats, and mutual security assurances will extend to these two governments under the alliance.
“Members of the U.S. Senate take seriously our role in advising and consenting to NATO enlargement, a process that must be approved by all NATO member states. We affirm our support for Sweden and Finland’s applications for membership. In addition, we pledge to work closely with you and with our Senate colleagues to ensure that their applications are swiftly considered and approved by the Senate,” concluded the senators. “The transatlantic alliance has never been more crucial to global security and stability. The addition of these two important allies to NATO will ensure the alliance’s resilience and readiness, and we look forward to welcoming Sweden and Finland to NATO.”
Joining Senators Cramer, Shaheen, and Tills are Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Tom Carper (D-DE), Chris Coons (D-DE), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Angus King (I-ME), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jon Tester (D-MT), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Rob Portman (R-OH), Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Ben Sasse (R-NE), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), John Barrasso (R-WY), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Mike Rounds (R-SD), John Thune (R-SD), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Pat Toomey (R-PA), John Hoeven (R-ND), John Cornyn (R-TX), Tim Scott (R-SC), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Hirono (D-HI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Richard Burr (R-NC), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Jack Reed (D-RI), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Gary Peters (D-MI), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Warner (D-VA), Ossoff (D-GA), Moore Capito (R-WV), Young (R-IN), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Jim Risch (R-ID), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Tina Smith (D-MN), Bob Casey (D-PA), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Steve Daines (R-MT), Mike Crapo (R-ID), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).
Click here to read the letter.