Shaheen tells World Affairs Council gathering she’s ‘encouraged’ by recent NATO Summit

MANCHESTER, NH – Following the conclusion of this week’s NATO conference, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) returned home on Friday for a full report in an event hosted by the World Affairs Council of New Hampshire.

Through a question and answer session from WACNH Executive Director Tim Horgan as well as members of an assembled audience at Manchester Community College, Shaheen’s comments on the conference and the state of NATO were positive.

Shaheen noted NATO’s goal of getting all member countries to raise defense spending to at least 2% of GDP had been largely successful, as 23 of the alliance’s 32 member countries had reached that target as of the conference. She hoped that more countries in the alliance will reach the two percent threshold as Canada recently did, believing that figure or even higher amounts could be achieved through continued cajoling and acknowledgement that strong militaries will help all in the alliance.

“It’s a floor, not a ceiling,” she said.

The alliance’s current primary function appears to be assistance toward Ukraine against Russian aggression, with Shaheen stating that the alliance has sent a strong message of support to the Ukrainian government and the recent addition of Sweden and Finland to the alliance only bolstered that commitment. She added that Ukraine’s membership in NATO is expected after the conclusion of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

While there are rifts in the alliance, such as friendly relations between Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Shaheen echoed a comment she heard from her U.S. Senate colleague Thom Tillis (R-NC) regarding America’s views toward Hungary and others in the alliance that may be causing consternation. Tillis’ analogy: one of his six sisters would never vote for him, but the entire family would come together if it was ever attacked.

“(NATO) is a consensus organization,” said Shaheen. “We are better having (countries) in NATO versus out of NATO.”

Shaheen also said that she supports the transfer of weapons Ukraine can use to strike Russia within its own territory, such as the recent storm shadow missile system offered by the United Kingdom, however she realizes that an escalation of the war would be in no one’s interests. However, she also noted that despite any saber rattling, Putin would not be able to win a nuclear conflict, although she also noted that this is a very different Russia from the one that was part of the USSR’s defeat in the 1980s.

Ultimately, Shaheen described the conflict between Russia and Ukraine as conflict between democracy and authoritarianism, with Ukraine unable to withstand the assault of Russia without foreign support, with a Russian victory in Ukraine leading to further Russian aggression elsewhere. Shaheen was grateful that the people of New Hampshire seem to understand this sentiment in her eyes, but reported that other Senators have had difficult relaying this idea to their constituents.

“If we don’t make a clear message to dictators who are a threat to democracies across the world that we are not united, they will be emboldened,” she said.

Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and Australia also participated in the conference despite their lack of NATO membership and unlikeliness of joining the alliance in the future. Shaheen said their primary role due to the influence of China as an enabler of Russia’s foreign policies.

Shaheen also was enthusiastic about the increased influence of women in the military and diplomatic circles, citing studies that have shown female influence in the conclusion of conflicts helps build more durable peace.

While it is uncertain what the upcoming U.S. Presidential Election will bring to the alliance, as former President Donald Trump has alluded to potentially taking the U.S. out of NATO, Shaheen noted that Congress has passed legislation requiring any future presidents to obtain Congressional approval before leaving NATO and reiterated her belief that unity is vital to global peace and security.

“If somebody were to think that we’d be better off on our own, they’re missing the point,” she said. “Sadly, Donald Trump doesn’t seem to understand this.”