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NATO

Sweden and Finland to submit bids to join Nato on Wednesday

Finland and Sweden will submit their bids to join Nato together on Wednesday at the military alliance's headquarters in Brussels, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson has confirmed.

Sweden and Finland to submit bids to join Nato on Wednesday
Finnish President Sauli Niinistö (right) and Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson (left) hold a press conference in Stockholm. Photo: Anders Wiklund/TT

“I’m happy we have taken the same path and we can do it together,” Andersson said on Tuesday during a joint press conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto. “It is a sign of strength and a sends a strong signal that we stand united to face the future.” 

The two leaders will travel on Thursday to Washington where they will meet with US President Joe Biden. 
 
At the press conference, Niinistö said that the two countries’ move towards joining Nato had begun in December, when Russia sought to establish a new system of spheres of influence that would have barred Sweden and Finland from membership of Nato. 
 
“December last year marked the start of a train of events which has revolutionised our security environment. It forced us to reassess our security politics,” he said. 

 
“Until then, we had thought that our position of military non-alignment gave more stability to the Baltic. After Russia said that we could not become members of Nato, it meant that if we didn’t act,  people would have thought later that we were military non-aligned because we had no choice.” 
 
That both countries had in such short time managed to carry out such a significant shift in security policy, was, he said “a triumph for democracy”. 

Niinistö said that he hoped for a quick ratification process from Nato’s 30 existing members, adding that he was certain that “constructive dialogue” with Turkey could help overcome its objections to the two countries joining.

Member comments

  1. Why this façade of being tough , why continue this deluded belief that America can stop a Nuclear Bomb fired at Sweden . Turkey will never allow Sweden into NATO . You have amateurs who know nothing about Warfare or Geopolitics leading their country towards the precipice of War . They are arrogant , they are in denial and this Government becomes more and more dangerous every hour it is in power . Signing this and that will not change a thing . One destroyer will not stop a Damn thing . I have given up on this appointed Prime Minister who thinks Boris Johnson rowing her in a lake and playing Churchill will appease two Despots one in Russia and the other in Turkey who do not like Sweden or Finland . I call for a referendum and public debates to tell the Swedish the truth that the Prime Minister of Sweden is conning her country in order to make money out of Ukraine . Biden is getting the be best lawyers because the Republicans intend to Impeach him for his carefree transfer of Arms and Money to Ukraine at the expense of the United States . Senator Rand Paul is going to block any more money or arms being sent to Ukraine which now has the biggest Military Budget in Europe equal to that Russia . America will soon have to borrow cash from China it’s it so out of control . Trump was Impeached for making a telephone call to Zelensky not sending hundreds of billions to the man who is now ruling without any Opposition parties as he has banned them all . The arms and the money once they leave America are not accounted for !! When the Swedish people learn the truth about the Corruption going on in the present government the likes not seen since Sweden collaborated with Nazi Germany they will not be happy to say the least !! The Prime Minister and Foreign Minister should resign before documents are sent to the Newspapers showing the depth of their complicity in Corruption with the Biden administration whose only interest is to protect Hunter Biden’s Business interests in Ukraine . This is Bo longer a slumber party but a Wake run by lunatics .

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SWEDEN AND GERMANY

What’s on the agenda for German chancellor’s visit to Sweden?

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is in Sweden to discuss security and business competitiveness with his Nordic colleagues on a two-day visit.

What's on the agenda for German chancellor's visit to Sweden?

Scholz was to visit the Stockholm headquarters of telecommunications giant Ericsson on Monday, accompanied by the prime ministers of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.

They were to “discuss security policy issues such as hybrid threats, civil preparedness and new technologies,” the Swedish government said in a statement.

A press conference was to follow just before 6pm.

“At a dinner that evening, discussions will centre on continued support to Ukraine,” the government said, as Russian troops launched a major ground operation against Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region amid Kyiv’s struggles with Western aid delays.

The Nordic countries and Germany have been among Ukraine’s biggest donors since Russia’s February 2022 invasion.

Berlin is the world’s second biggest donor to Ukraine, giving 14.5 billion euros so far, according to the Kiel Institute.

“Security policy and the upcoming Nato summit will top the agenda,” Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson wrote in a piece published in financial daily Dagens Industri on Monday.

“Financial competitiveness issues” will also be discussed, he said, noting that “the Nordic region wants to play a key role in efforts to strengthen the European economy”.

On Tuesday, Kristersson and Scholz were scheduled to hold bilateral talks and visit the Norrsken Foundation, which supports young growth companies active in the green and digital transition.

Afterwards the two leaders were to sign a “strategic innovation partnership” between Germany and Sweden.

The visit was to be their first bilateral meeting since Sweden joined Nato in March 2024.

The next Nato summit will take place July 9th-11th in Washington.

“Sweden has, and must have, a clear international voice in the world,” Kristersson wrote in Dagens Industri.

The Scandinavian country has enjoyed decades of strong cooperation with Nordic and Baltic countries, and with intensified collaboration “with two other Baltic Sea countries, Poland and Germany, our region will be safer and stronger”, he said.

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