MADRID: NATO has invited Sweden and Finland to become members of the military alliance, a commununique published by the NATO summit in Madrid on Wednesday said.

“The accession of Finland and Sweden will make them (the allies) safer, NATO stronger and the Euro-Atlantic area more secure,” the communique said, adding that the alliance also agreed a new strategic concept.

The communique described Russia as the “most significant and direct threat to the allies’ security”, a reaction to the massively deteriorated relationship to Russia since its invasion of Ukraine.

The alliance pledged further help to Kyiv and agreed a package of support aimed at modernizing the country’s defence sector.

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At the same time, NATO decided to significantly strengthen its own deterrence and defence.

“Allies have committed to deploy additional robust in-place combat-ready forces on our eastern flank, to be scaled up from the existing battlegroups to brigade-size units, where and when required underpinned by credible available reinforcements, prepositioned equipment, and enhanced command and control,” the communique said.

In the communique, the alliance described China as a challenge to NATO’s interests, security and values, and as a country that is seeking to undermine the rules-based international order.