BEIJING, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) According to foreign media reports, due to Turkey's opposition, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg downplayed the importance of Finland and Sweden joining NATO at the same time on the 14th.
He acknowledged for the first time that the two countries may not join hands in NATO membership.
According to the British "Financial Times", Stoltenberg said on the 14th that the security situation of the two Nordic neighbors has improved compared with a year ago.
Both countries' bids to join NATO are being stymied by Hungary and Turkey, especially by Turkey.
"So the main question is not whether Finland and Sweden are ratified together," he told the media on the 14th. "The main question is that both countries have to be ratified as full members as soon as possible. I believe both countries will become full members." , we are working hard to get both countries ratified as soon as possible.”
Stoltenberg's statement hinted at a subtle shift in NATO's attitude.
Because NATO's long-standing consensus is that the two Nordic neighbors should join at the same time.
The same goes for Finland and Sweden, who, as neighbors who applied together, will join hands.
On May 18, 2022, Finland and Sweden submitted an application to join the alliance to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
At present, only two member states of Hungary and Turkey among the 30 NATO members have not approved this application.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has hinted that he is willing to approve Finland's NATO membership but not Sweden's.
Erdogan accused Sweden of sheltering Kurdish activists and allowed demonstrators to burn the Koran in front of the Turkish embassy.
According to Swedish media reports, Swedish Prime Minister Christosson said that it would be "unfortunate" if Finland joined NATO first.