Olaf Scholz confirms Germany’s support for Finland and Sweden for NATO membership
In a key development, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated on Tuesday that his country will support Finland’s and Sweden’s accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) if they apply for it. He said this during a joint press conference with Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin and Swedish Prime Minister Sweden Magdalena. On Tuesday, the prime ministers of Finland and Sweden attended a meeting of the German cabinet in Meseberg. “It is clear that if these two countries decide to be part of the NATO alliance, they can count on our support,” Scholz added. News agency DPA.
At the same time, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has stated that if Finland and Sweden choose to join the military alliance with 30 members, they will be “welcomed with open arms”. He made this statement during his speech at the NATO Youth Summit on 28 April. The NATO chief stressed the need for Allied robust support for Ukraine as the country continues to fight Russian aggression. “It is Finland and Sweden’s decision to join NATO and if they decide to do so, they will be warmly welcomed. I also expect the process to go quickly and smoothly,” Stoltenberg pointed out, according to Associated Press (AP).
Russia warns Sweden & Finland towards joining NATO
At the same time, the Russian Federation has often warned Finland and Sweden of serious consequences if they go ahead with their plans to join the military alliance. The warning from Maria Zakharova, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman, came in April when support for NATO membership increased in both countries. A survey conducted by the Demoskop Institute indicated that Sweden’s membership in the military alliance now has the support of the country’s 57% of the population, up from 51% in March. Meanwhile, for Finland, public support for joining the military alliance has risen to more than 60%, according to a survey.
About NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is a 30-member intergovernmental military alliance. The organization was formed in the aftermath of World War II to implement the North Atlantic Treaty, which was signed on April 4, 1949. The Alliance is a collective security arrangement in which NATO’s independent member states commit to defending each other in the event of an external attack. Since the end of the Cold War, the alliance has been involved in military operations in the Balkans, the Middle East, South Asia and Africa, among others.
Image: AP
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