MAINE, USA — The 2023 NATO Summit wrapped up Wednesday in Vilnius, Lithuania after world leaders discussed the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
Maine Independent Sen. Angus King attended the summit with a group of bipartisan colleagues. King addressed reporters on Wednesday following his return.
King was joined by Jeanne Shaheen, D-New Hampshire, Tom Tillis, R-North Carolina, Pete Ricketts, R-Nebraska, Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, and Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Illinois.
King said the atmosphere was "positive" as he met with heads of other countries as well as with European military leaders. King added NATO is the strongest it has been in 50 years, due to Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
"[Putin] made a big mistake; NATO is not only stronger and more unified but also bigger, including along his border," King said.
To kick off the summit, Turkey agreed to support Sweden's bid to join the NATO military alliance after a year of opposition, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Monday.
"Sweden will become a full member of the alliance," Stoltenberg said.
King said Sweden and Finland joining the alliance is a "big step forward."
The main focus during the two-day summit was on how NATO can continue to support Ukraine against Russia while developing a roadmap for Ukraine to eventually gain its membership.
King said it would not make sense to allow Ukraine to join NATO during the war.
"If there’s an attack on one member it’s an attack on all, and you're then off into a serious multi-lateral world conflict," King said.
The senator added it would also not be prudent to establish a framework right now that would allow Ukraine to join NATO when the war is over.
"Putting Ukraine on a fast track to membership could actually up the stakes for Putin and prolong the war," he said.
Showing NATO and Ukraine that they have bipartisan support in Congress was one reason why King and his colleagues attended the conference, he added.
King said he met with other world leaders to drive home the point that support for Ukraine does not rest solely with the United States, and other countries need to "step up."
"This has to be a case where the NATO members meet their commitments of two percent GDP expended on their defense," King added.
The senators also met with U.S. President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken while they were at the summit.
King said the U.S. and its Western allies need to be cautious when sending weapons to Ukraine to make sure the ones sent over are necessary to win the war but not provide weapons that "would lead to an escalation."
Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces are trying to drive Russia out of the eastern part of their country. King said Russian troops have dug in around those areas of the country and it can be hard to "dislodge an entrenched foe," but he believes progress will be made.