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Added on the 04/05/2022 18:30:16 - Copyright : AFP EN
The United States welcomes Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's submission to parliament of Sweden's NATO membership and hopes for approval as soon as possible. "We welcome that step," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller tells reporters, voicing hope that the bill "will be considered in the Turkish parliament and passed as soon as possible." SOUNDBITE
"NATO allies have agreed that Ukraine will become a member of our alliance, but at the same time that is a long term perspective" says NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg during a visit to Helsinki. SOUNDBITE - ATTENTION, NO SOUND AT SOURCE DURING THE BEGINNING OF FIRST SHOT
During a press conference in Madrid, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg declares that an agreement has been reached that "paves the way for the way for Finland and Sweden to join Nato". He declares that "Turkey Finland Sweden have signed a memorandum that addresses Turkey's c concerns including about arms exports and the fight against terrorism." SOUNDBITE
Finnish President Sauli Niinisto meets with Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson in Stockholm, as the two Nordic neighbours prepare a bid for membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance. Both nations, which have traditionally remained non-aligned in military matters, have reconsidered their positions on the US-led defence grouping after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. IMAGES
Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson says Sweden "should join NATO" as she questions whether the Nordic country's longstanding policy of military non-alignment remains appropriate with Russia's invasion of Ukraine "undermining the European security order that Sweden builds its security on." SOUNDBITE
Finnish Prime minister Sanna Marin says Europe needs to 'stop together financing Putin's war machine' and confirms Finland is sending 'approximately 70 million euros' to help Ukraine resist Russia's invasion, the leader said on the sidelines of a donor conference hosted in the Polish city of Warsaw. SOUNDBITE AND SOUNDBITE from Sanna Marin in Warsaw