NATO expansion will cost the US $8bn, media report
The accession of Sweden and Finland to NATO will have negative consequences for the United States because the US can spend about $8bn to expand the alliance – as noted by Fox News columnists Russ Vought and Dan Caldwell, RIA Novosti reports
The authors of the article are convinced that the opinion that the accession of Sweden and Finland to NATO meets the national interests of the United States is wrong. The expansion of the alliance could lead to increased spending on new members and provoke a conflict between the US and Russia.
“The fact remains that new security guarantees will force trade-offs, consume more resources, and increase the likelihood of a confrontation with a nuclear-armed adversary,” the observers explained.
Vought and Caldwell added that admitting both nations to NATO could generate up-front expenses of over $8bn along with $1.5bn in additional annual costs for the US. One of the rationales for the admission of Sweden and Finland to NATO is the combat-ready armed forces of the countries that can strengthen the alliance.
“However, the reality is that both countries have relatively small professional militaries of around 20,000 troops each. Sweden is already requesting a larger US naval presence in the Baltic Sea, calling into question the ability of their military to secure their own backyard,” the observers added.
The authors of the publication noted that the US authorities are focusing on the wrong things. Vought and Caldwell recalled that inflation in the United States continues to set records, and the US national debt, according to them, has already reached $30.5 trillion.
