Germany suddenly announced its support for NATO expansion due to the conflict with Russia
Speaking to reporters on May 3 after two days of closed-door meetings with his Finnish and Swedish counterparts in a town near Berlin, Scholz vowed to support both sides’ efforts to join the Western military bloc. country if they apply for membership.
“If these two countries decide to join the NATO alliance then we will support them,” he said. “Even if there is no decision on NATO membership, both countries can always rely on Germany. As Europeans, we feel obliged to do the same.”
Scholz’s comments come after reports that Finland may announce its intention to join NATO next week, which President Sauli Niinisto is expected to announce on May 12. It remains unclear whether Sweden will follow suit, with the country’s parliament recently saying it will conduct a review of its national security policy before making a decision.
Earlier reports said both countries would submit applications at the same time, but Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto revealed his country would probably join NATO without visiting its neighbour.
“We’ll be working on it soon, even without Sweden,” Mr Haavisto told The Times of Ireland in an interview last week. “It would be nice if Sweden joins us, but that depends on Stockholm’s decision. It’s too early to predict, but I think we will do it before the summer.”
Speaking to journalists after Scholz’s announcement on May 3, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said the country had not yet made a decision and “all options are possible”. Then Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin repeated the remark.
“Finland and Sweden are facing important decisions regarding our own security,” Marin said, emphasizing that: “Russia’s attack on Ukraine has dramatically changed the environment.” our security and this cannot be changed”.
Similarly, the German chancellor also considered Russia’s military operation a “turning point” for security on the continent, saying that the attack prompted Berlin to cancel its policy against transporting weapons into the surrounding areas. sudden. “It is the right and necessary thing,” continued Mr. Scholz, adding: “We are now providing large-scale assistance to Ukraine, and we are committed to continuing to do so.”
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