NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday that the Atlantic Alliance would welcome Sweden and Finland “with open arms” if they submit their candidacy to join the organization.a decision that, he warned, depends in any case on those two countries.
“Of course, it is up to Sweden and Finland to decide whether they want to apply for NATO membership or not, but if they decide to apply, Finland and Sweden would be welcomed into NATO with open arms.”Stoltenberg said at a press conference with the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metzolabefore participating in a meeting of the conference of presidents of that institution.
Stoltenberg assured that Sweden and Finland are “the closest partners” of the Alliance and “strong and mature democracies, members of the European Union”.
“We have worked with Finland and Sweden for many years, we know that its Armed Forces meet NATO standardsthey are interoperable with NATO forces, we train together, we exercise together, and we have also worked on many different missions and operations”, explained the Norwegian politician.
For all these reasons, he pointed out that if both countries request to join the Alliance “they will be very welcome and I also hope that the process will be quick and that they can then join NATO once the formal procedure has been finalized”.
The secretary general indicated that the decision to invite them to join the Alliance would already send a “strong political signal” that “the security of Sweden and Finland matters to all NATO allies”and was convinced that they could reach “security agreements” during the interim period from when they requested their entry until it culminated in its formal ratification by the parliaments of the 30 allies.
“So that there is no uncertainty about the right of Finland and Sweden to choose their own path,” he added, stressing that “When Russia tries to intimidate, threaten Sweden and Finland not to run, it shows how Russia is not respecting the basic right of every nation to choose their own path”.
Likewise, given the “brutal aggression” of Russia against Ukraine, he considered it necessary that the Alliance gives practical and political support to countries in Europe that do not belong to NATO or the EUsuch as Georgia and Moldova, which have also been threatened by Moscow.
Stoltenberg said on the other hand that NATO and the EU are united in solidarity with Ukraine and recalled that its member states have imposed “unprecedented” sanctions on Moscow and have granted economic support to Ukraine.
He specified that, to date, the allies have “committed and provided at least $8 billion in defense support to Ukraine”.
“We see the importance of continuing to accelerate our support to Ukraine,” he added.
For her part, the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, pointed out that it is the first time that Stoltenberg will attend the meeting of the group leaders of the European Parliament and stressed that the conversation will reflect “the unprecedented unity we have seen in this Parliament since February 24 and Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine.”
“This Parliament has been resolute in asking for more military support, more effective aid to Ukraine,” recalled Metsola, who stated that The European Parliament will continue to demand more sanctions against Russia and a “better and more effective” compliance with the five rounds of restrictive measures that the EU has imposed since the end of February against Moscow.
(With information from EFE)
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Source-www.infobae.com