Stoltenberg: It is up to Turkey to decide whether it will ratify Finland’s and Sweden’s NATO applications at the same time or separately
10:19•Updated 15:50
Secretary General of NATO Jens Stoltenberg said in his press conference after the NATO meeting in Brussels that it is ultimately up to Turkey to decide whether it will ratify Finland’s and Sweden’s NATO applications together or separately.
However, Stoltenberg urged Turkey to ratify the applications of both countries at the same time and says that he has been communicating to Turkey all along about ratifying the applications of Finland and Sweden together. He says that his position here has not changed.
– I have urged Turkey for several months to ratify both agreements at the same time, Stoltenberg said and added that in the end it is up to Turkey to decide whether it will ratify the applications together or separately.
– [Ratifioinnin] the order is not the most important thing. It is important that Sweden and Finland join as members as soon as possible.
At the press conference, Stoltenberg also said that the NATO countries have promised to supply Ukraine with more heavy weapons and to increase military training.
According to Stoltenberg, NATO countries will also increase support for Bosnia, Moldova and Georgia.
NATO will also coordinate improvements to protect critical undersea infrastructure, Stoltenberg said. In addition, the countries of the alliance increase the production quantities of 155 millimeter artillery shells.
Stoltenberg also said that no decision was made on increasing the allies’ defense spending and emphasized that NATO countries should invest more in their defense. He added that member states should commit to spending at least two percent of their gross domestic product on defense.
The main theme of the meeting is speeding up arms aid to Ukraine
NATO defense ministers met in Brussels on Wednesday to discuss speeding up arms aid to Ukraine.
Ukraine was already discussed on the first day of the meeting on Tuesday, but the actual Ukraine part of the meeting started on Wednesday. The NATO defense plan will also be discussed at the meeting.
Stoltenberg opened the second day of the meeting of defense ministers earlier on Wednesday. Stoltenberg welcomed the participants to the meeting, but otherwise his opening speech remained few words.
Among others, the defense ministers of Finland and Sweden will participate in the meeting Mikko Savola and Tobias Billström.
Defense Minister Savola: The defense forces have been made NATO compatible for 20 years
According to Savola, Finland’s defense capability obligations were confirmed at the meeting.
According to Savola, Finland meets NATO’s two percent target for the share of defense spending in gross domestic product.
According to him, Finland needs to modernize its land forces because of NATO membership. This means equipment acquisitions such as tanks.
According to him, Finland is on a good track in preparing for NATO membership.
– The defense forces have been made NATO compatible for 20 years, he said.
According to Savola, the opinion at the meeting was that Europe should invest in a stronger defense capability than before.
Many countries expressed their hope that Finland and Sweden would become NATO members by the summer summit in Vilnius.
According to him, Stoltenberg is now effectively promoting the matter, and will travel to Turkey tomorrow to negotiate the matter.
According to Savola, the previous news that Denmark and the Netherlands refuse to deliver Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine is not true.
– This is a news story, unless things have changed in the last 10 minutes, he said.
The news is updated.