Speaking to reporters from Newport, Wales -- where numerous nations, including the US, met for a NATO summit on Wednesday -- President Obama delivered a short statement explaining what, exactly, was accomplished.
“First and foremost, we have reaffirmed the central mission of the alliance,” he said. “An armed attack against one [member state] should be an attack [against all of us].”
“It is a binding, treaty obligation,” he continued. “It is non-negotiable.”
What’s more, he noted that the US and its NATO allies will increase “air patrols over the Baltics” and “naval patrols in the Black Sea.” Best of all, he said, “all 28 countries in NATO agreed to commit to these measures.”
These measures, however, also include every member spending "two percent" of GDP on “security measures” from now on.
After all, he said, now is not the time for "complacency.”
But he went further. He announced that NATO will put additional pressure on Russia through targeted sanctions to end their belligerence and occupation of Crimea.
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“[NATO will] deepen and broaden sanctions against Russia’s economy and defense sectors,” he said.
Finally, he noted, the NATO alliance is an inclusive body that seeks only willing and able partners.
“We reaffirmed the door to NATO membership remains open to nations who can meet our high standards,” he intoned. “I also leave here confident that NATO allies and leaders are [committed to a] broad international effort [to help fight ISIS]."
“Our alliance will continue to do everything necessary to ensure [the common defense] and protect our citizens,” he said.
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