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dpa
Meseberg, Germany
Germany will support the admission of Finland and Sweden to the NATO military alliance should they apply for it, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has told the countries’ heads of government.
Sanna Marin and Magdalena Andersson, prime ministers of Finland and Sweden, respectively, attended a meeting of the German Cabinet in Meseberg, near Berlin, on Tuesday.
“It is clear that if these two countries should decide that they want to be part of the NATO alliance, they can count on our support,” Scholz said, adding that they could “always count on Germany’s support” irrespective of NATO membership. Both countries are considering joining the defence alliance as a result of Russia’s attack on Ukraine. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has already promised them swift admission should they apply.
Marin stressed that the Russian attack on Ukraine had completely changed the geopolitical situation in Europe, saying that there was “no turning back.” “All options are on the table,” Andersson said with regards to her country’s prospective NATO membership.
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, polls in Sweden and Finland have shown a rise in support for joining NATO.
Various parties in the countries’ parliaments have also signalled their support for an application.
However, the Social Democrats led by Andersson and Marin, respectively, have not yet announced a position.
In Finland, a decision could possibly be made as early as May 12, when President Sauli Niinist? wants to make his position public. He will ultimately decide together with Marin’s government.
On May 13, Sweden will present a security policy analysis, which will also deal with the NATO question.
The German Cabinet was meeting with Andersson and Marin in Meseberg shortly after Scholz ruled out a trip to Kiev in light of the Ukrainian leadership’s decision to disinvite German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier last month.
Steinmeier planned to go to Kiev with the heads of state of Poland, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania in mid-April, but was rejected at short notice.
The decision by Kiev came amid criticism of Steinmeier’s connections with Russia and his failure to heed warnings from Eastern European neighbours about the threat of Russian aggression during his time serving as foreign minister.
In an interview with public broadcaster ARD late Monday, Scholz said that it was not acceptable that a country that provides so much military and financial aid is told that its head of state may not come and visit.
In the first eight weeks of the Russian war, Germany sent weapons and equipment worth more than euro 190 million ($201 million).
German conservative opposition leader Friedrich Merz highlighted his own trip to Kiev on Tuesday. In a video posted to Twitter, Merz was shown on a train to Ukraine.
Meseberg, Germany
Germany will support the admission of Finland and Sweden to the NATO military alliance should they apply for it, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has told the countries’ heads of government.
Sanna Marin and Magdalena Andersson, prime ministers of Finland and Sweden, respectively, attended a meeting of the German Cabinet in Meseberg, near Berlin, on Tuesday.
“It is clear that if these two countries should decide that they want to be part of the NATO alliance, they can count on our support,” Scholz said, adding that they could “always count on Germany’s support” irrespective of NATO membership. Both countries are considering joining the defence alliance as a result of Russia’s attack on Ukraine. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has already promised them swift admission should they apply.
Marin stressed that the Russian attack on Ukraine had completely changed the geopolitical situation in Europe, saying that there was “no turning back.” “All options are on the table,” Andersson said with regards to her country’s prospective NATO membership.
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, polls in Sweden and Finland have shown a rise in support for joining NATO.
Various parties in the countries’ parliaments have also signalled their support for an application.
However, the Social Democrats led by Andersson and Marin, respectively, have not yet announced a position.
In Finland, a decision could possibly be made as early as May 12, when President Sauli Niinist? wants to make his position public. He will ultimately decide together with Marin’s government.
On May 13, Sweden will present a security policy analysis, which will also deal with the NATO question.
The German Cabinet was meeting with Andersson and Marin in Meseberg shortly after Scholz ruled out a trip to Kiev in light of the Ukrainian leadership’s decision to disinvite German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier last month.
Steinmeier planned to go to Kiev with the heads of state of Poland, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania in mid-April, but was rejected at short notice.
The decision by Kiev came amid criticism of Steinmeier’s connections with Russia and his failure to heed warnings from Eastern European neighbours about the threat of Russian aggression during his time serving as foreign minister.
In an interview with public broadcaster ARD late Monday, Scholz said that it was not acceptable that a country that provides so much military and financial aid is told that its head of state may not come and visit.
In the first eight weeks of the Russian war, Germany sent weapons and equipment worth more than euro 190 million ($201 million).
German conservative opposition leader Friedrich Merz highlighted his own trip to Kiev on Tuesday. In a video posted to Twitter, Merz was shown on a train to Ukraine.
