{"id":28242,"date":"2024-04-07T22:16:21","date_gmt":"2024-04-07T22:16:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/?p=28242"},"modified":"2024-04-07T22:16:21","modified_gmt":"2024-04-07T22:16:21","slug":"celebrating-75-years-of-north-atlantic-treaty-organization-by-julianne-smith-u-s-ambassador-to-nato","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/celebrating-75-years-of-north-atlantic-treaty-organization-by-julianne-smith-u-s-ambassador-to-nato\/","title":{"rendered":"Celebrating 75 Years of North Atlantic Treaty Organization – by Julianne Smith, U.S. Ambassador to NATO"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Julianne Smith – U.S. Ambassador to NATO<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n
\"\"04 April marks a significant milestone: the 75th anniversary of NATO. When NATO was founded, President Truman envisioned it as a shield against aggression, and it has proven to be just that.\u00a0 This historic Alliance stands as a testament to our collective commitment to freedom, security, and prosperity.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>Alliances, whether at NATO or elsewhere, are not just symbols of solidarity \u2013 they are the bedrock of our security.\u00a0 First and foremost, they make America safer, and they make our allies safer, too.\u00a0 And what we\u2019ve been able to do together within NATO for 75 years is nothing short of remarkable.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n
Together, we have achieved incredible feats, from deterring military threats to supporting peacekeeping operations and fostering cooperation in scientific and environmental fields.\u00a0 Our commitment to each other\u2019s defense, enshrined in Article 5 of the Washington Treaty \u2013 that an attack on one is an attack on all \u2013 remains unwavering.<\/h5>\n

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Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and U.S. Permanent Representative to NATO Ambassador Julianne Smith walk together. \u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n
NATO has also become a cornerstone of global peace and security.\u00a0 With more than 35 active partnerships around the globe, NATO recognizes that global challenges require global solutions.\u00a0 Some of these partnerships are longstanding.\u00a0 This year, our Partnership for Peace and Mediterranean Dialogue partners will celebrate their 30th anniversary as NATO partners and the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative partners will likewise celebrate their 20th anniversary.<\/h5>\n
As Secretary Blinken said, \u201cNATO today is bigger, it\u2019s stronger, it\u2019s more united, it\u2019s more capable than ever.\u201d<\/h5>\n
Defending Ukraine<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>\n
In recent years, NATO has faced new challenges, none more pressing than Russia\u2019s aggression against Ukraine.<\/h5>\n
NATO\u2019s response has been resolute.\u00a0 Every Ally, and more than 50 countries total via the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, is offering support to our Ukrainian friends.\u00a0 This solidarity demonstrates our shared commitment to upholding international norms and defending the sovereignty of all nations.<\/h5>\n
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said President Putin \u201cwent to war because he wanted less NATO.\u00a0 He\u2019s getting more NATO.\u201d\u00a0 As Secretary Blinken rightly noted, \u201cThose who bet against NATO have clearly been proven wrong.\u201d\"\"<\/h5>\n
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg shakes hands with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on January 16, 2024.<\/strong> <\/span><\/h5>\n
Despite immense challenges, Ukraine\u2019s resilience is inspiring.\u00a0 With unprecedented support from its partners, Ukraine continues to stand strong against Russian aggression.<\/h5>\n
Thanks to the remarkable courage and bravery of the Ukrainian people and unprecedented support from its partners, Ukraine endures.\u00a0 The nation continues to protect its people, expand its economy, make reforms, and build its industrial base.<\/h5>\n
During the past two years, the U.S. provided $75 billion in support to Ukraine and other NATO Allies provided $110 billion \u2013 a prime example of shared responsibility.\u00a0 The Alliance is committed to seeing Ukraine emerge victorious, and we stand alongside members of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group continuously seeking ways to provide Ukrainians what they need on the battlefield.<\/h5>\n
Welcoming NATO\u2019s Newest Members<\/b> \"\"<\/span><\/h5>\n
Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson attend the NATO ratification ceremony at the State Department as Sweden formally joins the Alliance. \u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n
NATO\u2019s strength lies in its unity and diversity.\u00a0 Starting with 12 members in 1949, the Alliance has over the years welcomed new members, each contributing unique capabilities, commitments, and perspectives to our collective defense.<\/h5>\n
Twenty-five years ago, NATO became stronger with the accession of Czechia, Hungary, and Poland.\u00a0 Twenty years ago, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia joined the Alliance.\u00a0 This month also represents the 15th anniversary of Croatia and Albania becoming members. North Macedonia has made the Alliance stronger since 2020, and Montenegro since 2017.<\/h5>\n
Finland joined in 2023, bringing highly capable forces, expertise in national resilience, and experience working with NATO.Sweden, the 32nd and newest member, brings formidable capabilities into the Alliance, strengthening our collective defense, and its steadfast commitment to democracy, human rights, and international peace is aligned with our own values.<\/h5>\n
Swedish and Finnish<\/span> accession shows that every nation has its own sovereign right to determine which alliances it wants to join. We have been close friends and partners for decades, and now we\u2019ll keep on working to maintain our mutual security as Allies. This makes our Alliance even stronger, and our people safer.<\/strong><\/em><\/h5>\n
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Finnish conscripts at exercise Northern Forest in Finland. Upcoming NATO Summit\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h5>\n
Looking ahead, the upcoming NATO Washington Summit promises to be a pivotal moment in our Alliance\u2019s history.\u00a0 Even as we celebrate 75 years of keeping our nation\u2019s safe and secure, the focus will be on the years ahead, highlighting the many things NATO has done to adapt and make itself indispensable to the defense and security of its members.<\/h5>\n
As President Biden has emphasized, NATO is stronger, more energized, and more united than ever before.\u00a0 Together, we will continue to adapt and evolve to meet the challenges of the 21st century.\u00a0 Allies are working together on issues such as climate change, cybersecurity, and critical infrastructure; whether in peacetime or at war, these are issues that define our modern lives.<\/h5>\n
Together, we will continue to uphold the principles that have guided us for the past 75 years and demonstrate how NATO truly is Stronger Together.\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h5>\n

The Kremlin’s Trojan Horses: Analysis of the Position of Slovakia and Hungary Regarding Ukraine’s Accession to NATO<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n