We meet today at the NATO Summit in Madrid, under the shadow of war. The Russian invasion of Ukraine constitutes a watershed moment in terms of geopolitical developments. It gives new purpose to the Euro-Atlantic Alliance and it forces us to move faster in order to strengthen NATO structures.
Today we are facing new important geopolitical challenges. And I want to express my satisfaction because the new strategic doctrine, which we will adopt shortly, includes, in its introduction, the protection of sovereignty, territorial integrity, International Law, but also human rights, as the framework of values on which our Alliance is based.
I also want to express my satisfaction about the fact that today the Alliance is going to invite Finland and Sweden to become the 31st and 32nd members of the Alliance. At the end, common sense and what is good for the Alliance prevailed and any speculative and utilitarian behaviors have been overcome.
Greece has been a NATO member since 1952. We are an important pillar of stability in the Southeastern Mediterranean. We are a country that systematically invests over 2% of its GDP on defense expenditures, thus shielding not only its own deterrence but also the structures of the Alliance.
So, as a pillar of stability in the southeast flank of NATO, we have every reason to believe that at the moment the Alliance should focus on the challenge it faces on the Ukrainian front. We do not need any other source of instability within the Alliance and I believe that this is something that our partners also realize.