Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Jens Stoltenberg says that he "aims" to get both Finland and Sweden into the alliance "soon" regardless of objections by Turkey, but said that he "cannot guarantee" that it will be done swiftly.
"My aim is still to make sure that they [Sweden and Finland] can join soon. I cannot guarantee, but I’m saying that’s still my aim".
While the vast majority of the alliance has supported the two countries joining the NATO organization, Turkey has objected on grounds that both countries support Kurdish groups that Turkey sees as terrorists.
"This is not the first time we see one or just a few allies is not agreeing with the rest," Stoltenberg said and added that NATO allies have the ability to continue providing Ukraine with weapons "as long as it takes," as NATO allies, Stoltenberg stated have a "political and moral obligation" to keep supplying Ukraine with arms.
"We should maintain support deliverables of modern weapons, heavy weapons, as NATO allies have now done for a long time, and also that NATO has a role to play in providing support", he stated.
He said that the ongoing war in Ukraine will be a "long-haul" effort, and said that the war was actually started in 2014 after Russia annexed Crimea.
"My aim is still to make sure that they [Sweden and Finland] can join soon. I cannot guarantee, but I’m saying that’s still my aim".
While the vast majority of the alliance has supported the two countries joining the NATO organization, Turkey has objected on grounds that both countries support Kurdish groups that Turkey sees as terrorists.
"This is not the first time we see one or just a few allies is not agreeing with the rest," Stoltenberg said and added that NATO allies have the ability to continue providing Ukraine with weapons "as long as it takes," as NATO allies, Stoltenberg stated have a "political and moral obligation" to keep supplying Ukraine with arms.
"We should maintain support deliverables of modern weapons, heavy weapons, as NATO allies have now done for a long time, and also that NATO has a role to play in providing support", he stated.
He said that the ongoing war in Ukraine will be a "long-haul" effort, and said that the war was actually started in 2014 after Russia annexed Crimea.