Tuesday November 26, 2024

Stoltenberg welcomes

President, PM thank NATO members for Finland´s ratification

Published : 31 Mar 2023, 02:56

Updated : 31 Mar 2023, 11:06

  DF Report
A combine Photo of President Sauli Niinistö and Prime Minister Sanna Marin. Photo sources: Office of the President and Finnish government.

President Sauli Niinistö and Prime Minister Sanna Marin expressed their gratitude to all the NATO member states for ratifying the NATO membership protocol for Finland after Turkish parliament made the approval late Thursday night.

In separate twitter posts they also vowed to speed up the NATO joining process of Sweden as early as possible.

“All 30 NATO members have now ratified Finland´s membership. I want to thank everyone of them for their trust and support,” Niinistö wrote in his twitter at about midnight of Friday.

Finland will be a strong and capable Ally, committed to the security of the alliance. Finland is now ready to join NATO, the President said, adding, “we look forward to welcoming Sweden to join us as soon as possible.”

“Finland’s application has now been ratified by all members and we will join NATO. Thank you to all countries for your support. As allies, we will give and receive security. We will defend each other,” wrote Marin in her twitter at about midnight of Friday.

She said that Finland stands with Sweden now and in the future and supports its application.

Meanwhile, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed Finland after Turkish ratification terming that Finland´s accession will make NATO stronger and safer.

“I welcome the vote of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye to complete the ratification of Finland’s accession. This will make the whole NATO family stronger & safer,” Stoltenberg wrote in his twitter.