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NATO

Swedish foreign minister visits Nato HQ for accession talks

The foreign ministers of Sweden and Finland were holding talks with NATO on Monday on formally starting the process to join the military alliance -- a historic step spurred by Russia's war in Ukraine.

Flags flutter in the wind outside Nato headquarters in Brussels. Photo: AP/Olivier Matthys
Flags flutter in the wind outside Nato headquarters in Brussels. Photo: AP/Olivier Matthys

The negotiations, led by Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde and Finnish counterpart Pekka Haavisto, were made possible after existing Nato member Turkey last week dropped objections.

Ambassadors from Nato’s 30 member states were on Tuesday expected to sign the accession protocols for Sweden and Finland, opening a months-long period for alliance countries to ratify their membership.

In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February, Sweden and Finland in parallel announced their intention to drop their military non-alignment status and become part of Nato.

A Nato summit in Madrid last week endorsed that move by issuing invitations to the two, after Turkey won concessions over concerns it had raised — and a US promise it would receive new warplanes.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had accused Sweden and Finland of being havens for Kurdish militants he has sought to crush, and for promoting “terrorism”.

He also demanded they lift arms embargoes imposed for Turkey’s 2019 military incursion into Syria. But Erdogan kept the rest of Nato on tenterhooks by saying he could still block Sweden and Finland’s bids if they failed to follow through on their
promises, some of which were undisclosed, such as possible extradition agreements.

Sweden’s Linde tweeted that she was going to Brussels on Monday for the talks at Nato headquarters and would attend the ambassadors’ signing on Tuesday.

A Finnish diplomat confirmed that Haavisto was also in the Belgian capital for the talks and Tuesday’s signing.

The two foreign ministers were to give a media conference with Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday.

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SWEDEN AND UKRAINE

Zelensky arrives in Stockholm for Ukraine-Nordic summit

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is in Stockholm to meet leaders from Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Norway.

Zelensky arrives in Stockholm for Ukraine-Nordic summit

Zelensky has been touring European capitals in recent days to appeal for more military aid for the Ukrainian army, which has been ceding ground to relentless Russian attacks in recent weeks.

“Today I am in Stockholm for the third Ukraine-Northern Europe summit,” Zelensky said in a statement on social media.

“Our top priorities are to ensure more air defence systems for Ukraine, joint defence industry projects, and weapons for our warriors, as well as global efforts to force Russia to make peace,” he added.

He said he would meet leaders from Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Norway and sign several bilateral security agreements.

“Ukraine will grow stronger as a result of the support of our principled and consistent allies, as well as new security agreements,” the Ukrainian leader said.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson meanwhile said that his country would take “important steps towards further strengthening cooperation between our countries in our support for Ukraine”.

“Ukraine’s cause is our cause,” he added in a statement on social media.

Zelensky’s arrival in Stockholm comes just days after Sweden pledged military aid of 13.3 billion kronor ($1.25 billion) to Ukraine.

And it comes as Ukrainian forces are struggling to hold back Russian attacks across the sprawling front line, after Moscow this month launched a fresh ground offensive in the eastern Kharkiv region.

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