US President Joe Biden held joint talks with Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Anderson and Finnish President Sauli Niinisto on Friday in the shadow of threats. of Tayyip Erdogan for a veto on their NATO membership.
According to the White House phone call lasted a little over half an hour.
“Joint communication with US President Joe Biden and Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Anderson. We share a deep concern about Russia’s war in Ukraine. I explained Finland’s next steps towards NATO membership. “Finland deeply appreciates all the necessary US support.” stressed on Twitter Finnish President Sauli Niinisto.
A joint phone call with @POTUS @JoeBiden and @SwedishPM Magdalena Andersson. We shared a deep concern over Russia war on Ukraine. I went through Finland’s next steps towards NATO membership. Finland deeply appreciates all the necessary support from the US.
РSauli Niinisț (@niinisto) May 13, 2022
“Important communication with US President Biden and President Niinisto on Russian aggression against Ukraine and on Sweden-Finland security policy. We thank the United States for its support of our security and for our respective security policy choices. ” For her part, the Prime Minister of Sweden stressed.
Washington, Helsinki and Stockholm want explanations from Ankara
Sweden and Finland plan to hold talks with Turkey on Saturday at the Alliance summit in Berlin following the Turkish president’s opposition to the two Nordic countries joining NATO, the two countries’ foreign ministries said.
The Swedish minister If Linde “It will have the opportunity to discuss the possible Swedish candidacy” with its Turkish counterpart during an informal meeting of NATO ministers, to which Sweden and Finland are invited, she said in a statement to AFP.
“I hope that we will continue to have positive messages from all 30 NATO member countries. “Many of the 30 allies have expressed strong public support for Sweden and Finland.” “The Turkish government has not sent us this kind of message directly,” she said.
Important call with @POTUS Biden and President @niinisto on Russian aggression against Ukraine, and on 🇸🇪 🇫🇮 security policy. Much appreciate 🇺🇸 support for our security and respective security policy choices.
– SwedishPM (@SwedishPM) May 13, 2022
During a press conference at the same time in Helsinki, the Finnish Foreign Minister Peka Haavisto also announced his intention to “continue the discussion” with Turkish Minister Mevlüt ÇavuÅŸo .lu.
“I think we need patience in these processes and this is not happening overnight … Let ‘s go step by step,” he said, noting that Finland has not yet officially announced its NATO bid.
Erdogan’s statement today seems to have come as a surprise for Helsinki, after Haavisto visited Turkey twice in recent months and Finnish President Sauli Niinisto spoke by telephone with Erdogan in early April.
Following the phone call, Niinisto wrote on Twitter: “Turkey supports Finland’s goals.”
Explanations from Turkey for its negative attitude towards the accession of Sweden and Finland, Washington will ask at the NATO summit.
Joining a new member of the North Atlantic Alliance requires unanimity. Thus, Turkey may block the candidacies of the two Nordic countries, which are expected to be announced in the coming days.
– Α
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