Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo) said he will oppose Finland and Sweden’s bids to join NATO because the United States should be focused on the threat from China instead of expanding security commitments in Europe.
“Finland and Sweden want to join the Atlantic Alliance to head off further Russian aggression in Europe. That is entirely understandable given their location and security needs,” Hawley wrote in an op-ed published in The National Interest. “But America’s greatest foreign adversary doesn’t loom over Europe. It looms in Asia. I am talking of course about the People’s Republic of China. And when it comes to Chinese imperialism, the American people should know the truth: the United States is not ready to resist it. Expanding American security commitments in Europe now would only make that problem worse—and America, less safe.”
Hawley said the US is not currently prepared to “fend off Chinese military aggression in the Pacific” if it happens, and fight Russia “because we have been distracted for too long by nation-building activities in the Middle East and legacy commitments in Europe.”
“In the face of this stark reality, we must choose. We must do less in Europe (and elsewhere) in order to prioritize China and Asia,” Hawley added.
Finland and Sweden announced plans to join NATO in May following Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. Their requests have bipartisan support in Washington with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell saying last week that the United States “would be fortunate to have two new treaty allies as impressive and capable as Finland and Sweden.”
In his op-ed Hawley said the US should not abandon NATO, but European allies need to do more by taking “primary responsibility for the conventional defense of Europe by investing more in their own militaries.”
Twenty countries have so far ratified Sweden and Finland’s accession to NATO. 10 others, including the US have failed to do so so far. For Finland and Sweden to become members of NATO all 30 countries must sign on.
