NATO to expand alliance and boost defenses in Europe

STORY: “The decision to invite Finland and Sweden to become members demonstrates that NATO’s door is open. It demonstrated that President Putin did not succeed in closing NATO’s door," said NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg after Turkey lifted a veto on Finland and Sweden joining.

At the summit, NATO agreed a longer-term support package for Ukraine, in addition to the billions of dollars already pledged in weapons and financial support, Stoltenberg said.

The Western alliance is also in agreement that big allies such as the United States, Germany, Britain and Canada pre-assign troops, weapons and equipment to the Baltics and intensify training exercises. NATO is also aiming to have as many as 300,000 troops ready for deployment in case of conflict, part of an enlarged NATO response force.

Russia is achieving the opposite of what Putin sought when he launched his war in Ukraine in part to counter the expansion of NATO, Western leaders say.