NATO Secretary General says the security concerns of all Allies must be taken into account as he welcomes Prime Minister of Sweden to NATO Headquarters

On Monday, June 27, 2022, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson to NATO Headquarters to discuss Sweden’s and Finland’s membership applications. The Secretary General stated that the NATO accession process must take into account the security concerns of all Allies, and that Turkey’s concerns are valid and should be addressed.

Here is the full remark as it was delivered:

Good afternoon, Prime Minister Andersson, dear Magdalena, it is great to meet you here in Brussels, so soon after we met in Sweden, and just on the eve of the Madrid Summit.

Together with Finland, Sweden is our closest partner. We share the same neighbourhood, challenges, and values, and the same interest to protect our people
and the international rules-based order.

Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine has shattered peace in Europe.
There is much at stake, so it is even more important that we stand together.
That is why I have strongly welcomed the applications made last month by Sweden and Finland to join NATO.

We are now working very actively on the next steps in the accession process.

You and I have been in close contact these past weeks, and over the weekend we both spoke with President Erdoğan.

The security concerns of all Allies must be taken into account as part of the NATO accession process.
Türkiye’s concerns are legitimate, and must be addressed.
No Ally has suffered more at the hands of terrorists than Türkiye, including grievous attacks by the terrorist group PKK.

We all agree we must redouble our efforts in the fight against terrorism.
That is why, at the Summit in Madrid, I have convened a special session devoted to NATO’s counter-terrorism efforts.

And that is also why Sweden and you personally, Prime Minister, have taken concrete steps in recent days to directly address Türkiye’s concerns.

You have already amended Swedish law.
You have launched new police investigations against the PKK, and you are currently looking at Turkish extradition requests.
These concrete steps represent a paradigm shift in Sweden’s approach to terrorism in a more dangerous and more unpredictable world.

We are now working together on an agreement between Sweden, Finland, and our Ally Türkiye, to further address security concerns, including around arms exports and the fight against terrorism.

Senior officials from Türkiye, Finland, and Sweden have been meeting at NATO Headquarters under my auspices today.
This is their second meeting in a week.

I am also grateful that President Erdoğan, President Niinisto, and Prime Minister Andersson have accepted my invitation to meet together in Madrid tomorrow.

That will be a further opportunity to address Türkiye’s concerns, and move forward with NATO accession for Finland and Sweden.

Finland’s and Sweden’s applications for NATO membership are historic.

Your membership will boost transatlantic security, as we face the biggest security crisis since World War Two.
All Allies recognize this.

All have made clear that NATO’s door remains open and all Allies know that, with you and Finland as members, NATO will be stronger.

So once again, thank you for coming, thank you for our meeting, and please you have the floor.