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Updated May 18th, 2022 at 20:58 IST

German Chancellor Scholz extends support to Sweden, Finland over NATO membership

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has stated that Germany will push for Sweden and Finland to join North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) as soon as possible.

Reported by: Rohit Ranjan
NATO
Image: AP/ @arcticportal/Twitter | Image:self
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Most of the NATO members have welcomed Sweden and Finland's decision to join the military alliance in the midst of Russia's aggression in Ukraine. In the latest development, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated that Germany will push for the Nordic countries to join NATO as soon as possible. He further said that Sweden and Finland can count on their assistance. 

He pointed out that provisions of the United Nations and the European Union provide for mutual defence. When asked whether this meant Germany is providing a security guarantee to the Nordic countries for the period between their application and becoming members, he said that both countries can always rely on their assistance, particularly in this extremely exceptional situation.

Scholz also expressed confidence that Turkey would support their application. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has voiced his displeasure about the two Nordic countries joining NATO claiming the two countries sponsor "terrorist" Kurdish organisations.

German FM Baerbock expressed her support for Sweden and Finland

During a press conference in Berlin on Tuesday, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock expressed her support for Sweden and Finland joining NATO. Despite Turkey's reservations, Baerbock expressed "extreme confidence" that Sweden and Finland would be granted NATO membership, according to AP News. She claimed that because the two Nordic countries' military standards are more than NATO-compatible, they should join the alliance.

Baerbock said that the allies had taken note of Turkish concerns. To admit the Nordic countries into the alliance, all 30 present NATO members must agree and Turkey, which is an important member of NATO, has stated that it will reject the membership of both the countries. Sweden and Finland's Foreign Ministers will travel to Turkey to discuss Ankara's concerns about their NATO membership.

Sweden and Finland will submit their NATO membership application on May 18

On Tuesday, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson stated that both Sweden and Finland will submit their NATO membership application on May 18. She stated at a joint press conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto in Stockholm that they have agreed to go through the entire process together in Sweden and Finland, and that they will file the application together on Wednesday, according to media reports.

Image: AP/ @arcticportal/Twitter

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Published May 18th, 2022 at 07:15 IST

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