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Nato chief Fogh confirms ‘Russian incursion’

The former PM's return trip home included meetings with Helle Thorning-Schmidt, Crown Prince Frederik and Nicolai Wammen.

Published: 15 August 2014 17:30 CEST
Nato chief Fogh confirms 'Russian incursion'
The Nato secretary general was back in familiar territory on Friday when he met with PM Helle Thorning-Schmidt. Photo: Niels Ahlmann Olesen/Scanpix
On a visit to Denmark on Friday, Nato chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen confirmed an incursion by Russian armoured vehicles into Ukraine, saying it showed Moscow's continued efforts to "destabilise" its western neighbour.
 
"I can confirm that last night we saw a Russian incursion, crossing of the Ukrainian border," he told journalists in Copenhagen after meeting with the Danish defence minister, Nicolai Wammen.
 
Ukraine had said earlier that a column of armoured personnel carriers and military lorries had crossed into Ukrainian territory on Thursday.
 
"It just confirms the fact that we see a continued flow of weapons and fighters from Russia into the eastern Ukraine," Rasmussen said. "It is a clear demonstration of continued Russian involvement in the destabilisation of eastern Ukraine."
 
Rasmussen's meeting with Wammen was held at Amalienborg palace, where the former Danish prime minister had an audience with Crown Prince Frederik. Later in the day, the Nato secretary general had an official meeting with current PM Helle Thorning-Schmidt.
 
Rasmussen also used the occasion to rule out a return to Danish politics when his term as Nato secretary general expires on September 30th. 
 
“I don’t think it’s a good idea to come back when you have been the country’s prime minister. I’m not going back to Danish politics and I’m not going to retire either. But beyond that I haven’t currently made a concrete decision” he told Ritzau.
 
Prior to his stop in Copenhagen, Rasmussen was in Norway. Both stops were in advance of next month's Nato summit in Wales. A video blog that Fogh filmed in Copenhagen on Friday can be seen below:

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NATO

Sweden strikes deal with Turkey over Nato membership

Sweden has finally won the backing of Turkey's President Erdogan for its Nato membership, with a deal struck on the eve of the alliance's Vilnius summit opening the way for Turkish ratification "as soon as possible".

Published: 10 July 2023 21:40 CEST
Sweden strikes deal with Turkey over Nato membership

“President Erdogan has agreed to forward the Accession Protocol for Sweden to the Grand National Assembly as soon as possible and work closely with the assembly to ensure ratification,” Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said after the deal was struck. “This is a historic step which makes all Nato allies stronger and safer.” 

At the press conference, Sweden’s prime minister Ulf Kristersson, said it had been “a long day in a long journey towards Swedish membership”. 

“I am extremely happy,” he said. “This is a good day for Sweden”. 

In a separate joint statement, Sweden repeated its commitments to help Turkey in its “fight against terrorism” making an addition pledge to support Turkey’s in its long-stalled efforts to join the EU. 

“Sweden will actively support efforts to reinvigorate Turkiye’s EU accession process, including modernisation of the EU-Turkiye Customs Union and
visa liberalisation,” the statement said.

In return, Turkey said it “will transmit the Accession Protocol for Sweden to the Grand National Assembly, and work closely with the Assembly to ensure ratification.”

Turkey has been holding up Sweden’s application to join the Atlantic alliance, accusing Stockholm of harbouring Kurdish activists Ankara regards as
terrorists.

And on Monday, Erdogan upped the stakes further, demanding that the European Union revive Turkey’s stalled EU membership bid as a precondition for Sweden joining Nato.

Shortly before the deal was announced Erdogan interrupted his talks with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson to hold talks with Charles Michel, the President of the EU Council. 

Michel hailed a “good meeting”, adding that they had “explored opportunities ahead to bring EU-Turkey cooperation back to the forefront and re-energise our relations”.

Turkey has been a formal candidate to join the European Union since 2005, and an aspirant since long before that, but talks have long been stalled with little sign of life.

US President Joe Biden welcomed the agreement. 

“I stand ready to work with President Erdogan and Turkey on enhancing defence and deterrence in the Euro-Atlantic area,” he said in a statement, adding: “I look forward to welcoming Prime Minister Kristersson and Sweden as our 32nd NATO ally.”

“The path for Turkey’s ratification of Sweden’s membership of Nato is finally clear,” German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock wrote on Twitter, hailing the “good news from Vilnius”.

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