Madrid, 29 June 2022 (Anadolu News)

The NATO leaders summit takes Off in Madrid Today, on Wednesday.

Following are the major decisions taken during the 1st working session on Wednesday:

• New Strategic Concept, the blueprint for the alliance in a more dangerous and competitive world, endorsed
• More military and financial support to Ukraine for the longer term
• NATO Innovation Fund launched to harness the best new technology for transatlantic security
• Aim to cut emissions by NATO bodies and commands by at least 45% by 2030, move towards Net Zero by 2050
• Fundamental shift in defense and deterrence to respond to a new security reality
• This includes strengthening forward defenses, enhancing battlegroups in the eastern part of the alliance, transforming NATO Response Force and increasing the number of high readiness forces to well over 300,000.
• Historic decision to invite Finland and Sweden to become members of the alliance

On the sidelines of the conference, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and US President Joe Biden agreed on “continued close consultations” between Washington and Ankara during a meeting in Madrid, the White House said on Wednesday.  The two leaders discussed Sweden and Finland’s NATO membership bids, the Ukraine war, as well as the situation in the Aegean and Syria.

“President Biden reiterated his desire to maintain constructive bilateral relations, and the leaders agreed on the importance of continued close consultations between our governments,” the White House said in a statement.

The US president also welcomed Ankara’s conclusion of a trilateral agreement with Finland and Sweden that paved the way for NATO to invite them to join the alliance.

“The leaders discussed their continued support for Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression, as well as the importance of removing Russian obstacles to the export of Ukrainian grain,” the statement said.

The two leaders also talked about the importance of maintaining stability in the Aegean and Syria.

In a brief conversation before a closed-door meeting, Erdogan said steps being taken to strengthen NATO will have a “special contribution” in the context of the Russia-Ukraine crisis.

The Russia-Ukraine war has had negative effects on grain and oil, the Turkish president said, adding: “We are trying to resolve the process with a balanced policy in this regard. We hope that we will get results with this balanced policy.”

He expressed hope of opening corridors soon to the countries that are currently lacking grain.

Biden thanked Erdogan for his efforts to get millions of tons of grain out of Ukraine and supporting Sweden and Finland’s NATO membership.