WASHINGTON DC / OSLO (VG) NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday that Finnish, Swedish and Turkish representatives will arrive in Brussels “in the next few days” to discuss a possible NATO enlargement.
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Putin wants less NATO, he gets more NATO and more forces, Stoltenberg said during a press conference at the US State Department on Thursday.
The NATO chief spoke with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. At the top of the agenda during the visit – which coincides with a tense security situation in Europe as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – was the expansion of the transatlantic defense alliance.
In order for Sweden and Finland to be able to join NATO, all current member states must give the green light. Turkey has stood on its hind legs and has made a number of demands on Sweden in advance.
– Close contact with Turkey
– Sweden and Finland’s NATO application is historic. I am sure we will find a solution, said Stoltenberg.
He added that he was in contact with the heads of state from the three countries and that representatives from the countries would come to a meeting in Brussels, where NATO is headquartered, “in the next few days”.
– I am in close contact with Turkey, an important ally, and Finland and Sweden. We will make sure to make progress on their applications. It is my intention to have this in place before the NATO summit, he said, referring to the summit in Madrid on 29 and 30 June.
Blinken also believes that they will be able to move forward in the process.
Stoltenberg says that this is not the first time NATO has discussed different views within the alliance, and that they have a long history of coming to an agreement in such situations.
–– Ready to discuss PKK
Stoltenberg has previously said that he wants Sweden and Finland to participate in the summit.
“All NATO allies are ready to sit down to discuss,” said Stoltenberg.
– Finland and Sweden are ready to listen to Turkey’s concerns. Including the PKK, he added, referring to the Kurdish militia that is stamped as a terrorist in Turkey.
– We take this very seriously. We know that no other NATO ally has suffered more terrorist attacks than Turkey, Stoltenberg said.
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–Ukraine with promise of new missiles
Damage to the road Sverige and Finland’s applications a victory for democracy.
– We support their applications, they meet all the requirements for membership, said the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine has made NATO rethink, was the message from both Blinken and Stoltenberg on Thursday.
A new NATO strategy is on the way, Blinken announced when he introduced Stoltenberg during the press conference on Thursday.
“Putin hoped to divide NATO, but instead it has united NATO,” he said.
Blinken commented on the new missile systems that Ukraine receives from the United States, and said the authorities in Ukraine has assured that they will not fire new advanced missiles at targets in Russia.
Russia’s war against Ukraine has entered its fourth month. Putin invaded the neighboring country on February 24.
Stoltenberg’s visit to Washington began on Tuesday and lasts until Friday.
On Thursday, he will also meet Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
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