Cruz Statement on Voting to Support Finland, Sweden NATO Bids

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, made the following statement about his vote for a resolution endorsing Finland and Sweden ascending to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO):

“Joe Biden’s appeasement policies have made our global challenges into acute threats to American national security. His catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan and his inexplicable decision to greenlight Vladimir Putin’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline combined to embolden and enable Putin to invade Ukraine. Now, Putin will only grow more reckless, endangering the food and energy supply lines that Americans rely on for safety and prosperity.

“Finland and Sweden will greatly benefit NATO and therefore America’s national security, and will deter further Russian aggression. They are advanced, wealthy countries with high incomes that will contribute greatly to NATO’s capabilities immediately and in the years to come. Both are situated in geographically critical areas. Finland has a large armed forces and almost a million reservists, and of course a history of countering Russian aggression. Sweden’s navy is extensive and experienced, and the Swedes have been enlarging and strengthening the full range of surface, undersea, anti-tank, air combat, and air defense forces.

“The only way to address the global threats we face is by supporting our allies around the world. Beyond Europe, China poses the most significant geopolitical threat to American national security.  As we’ve seen Team Biden try to pivot to a warm embrace of Communist China, it’s important that the United States stands firm with our allies in NATO and by expanding NATO to include Finland and Sweden it sends a loud and clear message to the Chinese Communist Party that America stands firm with our allies.”

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