Wednesday 29 June 2022 10:09 AM Biden says Putin is getting 'exactly what he didn't want' - the 'NATO-zation ... trends now

President Joe Biden on Wednesday said Russian President Vladimir Putin is getting 'exactly what he didn't want' - the NATO-zation of Europe.

Biden praised the diplomatic breakthrough that resulted in Turkey pulling its objections from Sweden and Finland joining the alliance, marking its biggest expansion since the 1990s. 

'Putin was looking for the federalization of Europe and we're gonna get the NATO-zation of Europe,' Biden said when he met with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg upon his arrival at NATO headquarters on Wednesday morning.

'And that's exactly what he didn't want to do - it's exactly what needs to be done to guarantee security for Europe. And I think it's necessary and I'm looking forward to it happening,' the president said. 

Biden will meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday afternoon on the sidelines of the NATO summit. 

On Tuesday evening, after multiple rounds of talks, Turkey lifted its objections to the two Nordic states joining the alliance. 

'I am pleased to announce we now have an agreement that paves the way for Finland and Sweden to join NATO,' Stoltenberg said that evening when he announced the deal.

'Turkey, Finland and Sweden have signed a memorandum that addresses Turkey's concerns, including around arms exports and the fight against terrorism,' he added.

The three nations agreed to protect each other's security as Europe faces its worst security crisis in decades in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. 

In order to affirm the new members, NATO's 30 allied parliaments must ratify the decision by leaders, a process that could take up to a year.