Joe Biden congratulates Türkiye, Sweden, Finland on NATO memorandum
June 29, 2022, 8:18 am

Joe Biden congratulates Türkiye, Sweden, Finland on NATO memorandum

On June 2, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg met with US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to discuss preparations for the NATO Summit - Pic. Jens Stoltenberg

US President Joe Biden congratulated Türkiye, Sweden and Finland on Tuesday (June 28) after the three nations agreed on a memorandum that paved the way for the two Nordic nations' accession to NATO, the Anadolu Agency reported.

Biden wrote on Twitter: "Congratulations to Finland, Sweden, and Turkey on signing a trilateral memorandum – a crucial step towards a NATO invite to Finland and Sweden, which will strengthen our Alliance and bolster our collective security – and a great way to begin the Summit.”

The US President said Finland and Sweden are strong democracies with capable militaries and their membership will strengthen NATO’s collective security.

Earlier, Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg, Finland’s President Sauli Niinisto and Sweden’s Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson met to discuss the Nordic nations' membership and Ankara’s concerns.

Madrid Summit: Türkiye, Finland and Sweden sign agreement paving the way for Finnish and Swedish NATO membership - Pic. NATO official Facebook page

On Tuesday (June 28), Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said that Türkiye has agreed to support Finland and Sweden's NATO membership bids, removing a major hurdle to the two countries joining the alliance.

It was followed by the signing of a memorandum between the three nations addressing one another's concerns in joining the alliance.

Madrid summit: Boris Johnson urges NATO allies to boost military spending

In a statement, Niintso said that a joint memorandum on the matter was signed by Türkiye, Finland, and Sweden in Madrid. The joint memorandum underscores the commitment of Finland, Sweden, and Türkiye "to extend their full support against threats to each other's security," Niinisto said as quoted by CNN.

He added: "The concrete steps of our accession to NATO will be agreed by the NATO allies during the next two days, but that decision is now imminent.”

Sweden and Finland formally applied to join the alliance last month, a decision spurred by Russia's war on Ukraine.

US President recalled Finland's President Sauli Niinisto and Sweden Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson's visit to the White House and said that they strongly support their membership.

Madrid summit: Finland and Sweden leaders to discuss NATO bid with Erdogan

President Biden said in a statement: "Their membership will strengthen NATO's collective security and benefit the entire Transatlantic Alliance. I look forward to working with NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg, our Allies, and with Congress to ensure that we can quickly welcome them into our Alliance.”

He added: "As we begin this historic NATO Summit in Madrid, our Alliance is stronger, more united, and more resolute than ever.”

levantnews-agencies

Volodymyr Zelensky calls on UN to visit site of Ukraine mall strike Boris Johnson says if Putin were a woman he would not have invaded Ukraine

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”