05:32Germany: 'We hope for a rapid ratification process after Turkey's election' - Sweden’s Kristersson on NATO accession
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said he hopes for a ‘rapid ratification’ into NATO after elections in Turkey, during a joint press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin on Wednesday.
“Within the trilateral memorandum and the talks we had between Finland, Turkey, and Sweden, we made very good progress. And good success,” the Swedish PM said.
“But we respect that only Turkey can make Turkey's decisions. Of course, we hope for a rapid ratification process after Turkey's election.”
Hungary and Turkey are the only NATO member countries that haven’t yet approved Sweden and Finland's applications to join the military alliance.
Ankara has previously expressed concerns about the two nations joining NATO, over their support for Kurdish groups that Turkey considers “terrorists.”
Earlier in the conference, Scholz stressed the importance of both Scandinavian countries joining NATO and said Berlin is working ‘intensively’ to achieve that aim.
"The accession of the two Scandinavian countries to NATO will mean a great gain for the security of all of Europe ... We in the Federal Republic of Germany are working intensively to ensure that this succeeds quickly and efficiently," the German Chancellor said.
Kristersson also commented on reports Ankara is planning to allow Finland accession into NATO without its Scandinavian neighbour.
“We do not hide at all that we preferred to be ratified together. To make the whole journey hand in hand. But I've always also expressed the fact that every third country in NATO makes its own ratifications decisions about ratifications. We have full respect for that," he said.
The two European leaders also discussed policy issues regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, with the delivery of German-made Leopard tanks and the logistics of supplying them to Kiev being the main topic.
05:32Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said he hopes for a ‘rapid ratification’ into NATO after elections in Turkey, during a joint press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin on Wednesday.
“Within the trilateral memorandum and the talks we had between Finland, Turkey, and Sweden, we made very good progress. And good success,” the Swedish PM said.
“But we respect that only Turkey can make Turkey's decisions. Of course, we hope for a rapid ratification process after Turkey's election.”
Hungary and Turkey are the only NATO member countries that haven’t yet approved Sweden and Finland's applications to join the military alliance.
Ankara has previously expressed concerns about the two nations joining NATO, over their support for Kurdish groups that Turkey considers “terrorists.”
Earlier in the conference, Scholz stressed the importance of both Scandinavian countries joining NATO and said Berlin is working ‘intensively’ to achieve that aim.
"The accession of the two Scandinavian countries to NATO will mean a great gain for the security of all of Europe ... We in the Federal Republic of Germany are working intensively to ensure that this succeeds quickly and efficiently," the German Chancellor said.
Kristersson also commented on reports Ankara is planning to allow Finland accession into NATO without its Scandinavian neighbour.
“We do not hide at all that we preferred to be ratified together. To make the whole journey hand in hand. But I've always also expressed the fact that every third country in NATO makes its own ratifications decisions about ratifications. We have full respect for that," he said.
The two European leaders also discussed policy issues regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, with the delivery of German-made Leopard tanks and the logistics of supplying them to Kiev being the main topic.