Slovakia and the Czech Republic are following debates in Finland and Sweden on possible NATO membership
Slovakia and the Czech Republic are following debates in Finland and Sweden on possible NATO membership
“I do not want any for anyone else, but I feel that there is absolute support for both countries, if their citizens so decide, to become members of this group freely,” Korčok said.
Slovakia and the Czech Republic are closely aware of the discussions in Finland and Sweden on the possible application for membership in the North Atlantic Alliance. The heads of Slovak and Czech diplomacy, Ivan Korčok and Jan Lipavský, brought to Brussels on Thursday after the end of a two-day meeting of NATO foreign ministers, informs the TASR correspondent.
Korčok reminded that the head of Swedish diplomacy Ann Linde and her Finnish departmental colleague Pekka Haavisto also took part in the negotiations in Brussels.
“We all know what is going on in these countries, we are following the public debates that are taking place there. Both countries see what is happening in their neighborhood, “said Korčok. Following the outbreak of war in Ukraine, serious discussions arose in both countries that they should not become members of NATO anyway.
“I do not want any for anyone else, but I feel that there is absolute support for both countries, if their citizens so decide, to become members of this group freely,” Korčok said.
Lipavský emphasized that he did not want to predict the development of the situation in Finland or Sweden. “It’s really their national sovereign decision,” he said.
It must also be taken into account that the other member states of the Alliance must confirm the membership of the new countries. “For the Czech question, I can say that I do not see any problem in that, but these are the ones that must be the final stages of development, and we must therefore,” he explained. He added that Sweden and Finland are culturally, economically and socially close to the Czechs and share the same values.