Niinistö received NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at his summer residence Gullranda on Sunday. Stoltenberg was one of the main guests at Niinistö’s annual seminar days. Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre is also participating, as are a number of Finnish ministers and media representatives.
At a short introductory press conference, Niinistö emphasized that Turkey’s proposal regarding Sweden’s and Finland’s NATO application came as a total surprise. Both Niinistö and Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto had talks with Turkish President Erdogan and the country’s foreign minister in the spring, talks in which Turkey expressed its clear support for Finnish membership. Niinistö said in an interview with Ilta-Sanomat on Thursday that there were no opportunities for misunderstanding.
President of Turkey has later accused Sweden and Finland of supporting terrorist organizations, and made demands on both countries for a possible NATO membership.
– It was strange to hear Erdogan’s proposal because we previously had a positive reaction from Turkey. I see no difference in how Finland deals with these issues (concerning terrorist organizations, editor’s note) compared with other NATO countries.
According to Niinistö, they will regardless continue in their NATO application.
Can one imagine a situation where Finland continues its process without Sweden?
– When I last visited Sweden, I said it very clearly. In Sweden it has been said that “Finland’s thing is ours”. In the same way, Sweden’s cause is ours. This means that we go further hand in hand.
Jens Stoltenberg says that he hopes for a quick solution.
– Turkey is an important ally. The country has played a key role in supporting Ukraine. If Turkey says that there are concerns, then we must sit down and take them seriously. We hope we can find a solution that works for all parties. It was the right decision for Sweden and Finland to apply for a NATO membership card.
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