WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the U.S. Helsinki Commission, this week led a group of legislators to meet with senior European government officials and discuss opportunities to increase security and cooperation. While in Europe, Wicker met with the President of Finland and the Swedish Foreign Minister, Defense Minister, Speaker of Parliament, as well as other leaders to discuss their applications for NATO membership. 

“This is a pivotal moment for Europe’s future and how the world responds to Vladimir Putin’s vicious and illegal war in Ukraine,” Wicker said. “Finland and Sweden are taking the historic step to enter NATO, which will benefit the alliance and security in Europe. It was an honor to discuss America’s firm support for their applications directly with their top leadership.” 

Wicker also recently met with the Swedish and Finnish ambassadors to the United States to discuss their applications for membership, and penned an op-ed in National Review, arguing that both countries’ accession to NATO would be in the American national interest.

Prior to his meetings in Finland and Sweden, Wicker led an international Black Sea Security Summit with other European partners in Constanta, Romania. The leaders discussed improving the region’s defense against Russian influence and military operations. Attendees included senior officials from Ukraine, Georgia, Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, United States European Command, and NATO.

“The Black Sea occupies a vital strategic position in Eastern Europe, and our summit was a powerful example of American leadership on important transatlantic security issues,” Wicker said. “The United States and its allies must close shoulders to make sure that this brazen invasion ends successfully, not just for the people of Ukraine, but also for all the free people of the world.”

Wicker further fulfilled his responsibilities as a co-chair of the U.S. Helsinki Commission by leading several sessions of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly. 

Read more about Wicker’s recent work on foreign affairs and national defense here.