Scholz said that Germany will support Finland's decision to join NATO

The German Chancellor said that no one can be sure that RUSSIAwill not attack other countries, and assuredthat Berlin will support the entry of Sweden and Finland into NATO as part of strengthening the defense strategy of Europe Olaf Scholz

Germany will support the decision of Sweden and Finland to join NATO, as Russia's military operation in Ukraine "forced Europe to strengthen its defense strategy." This was stated by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, reports REUTERS.

“No one can assume that the Russian president [Vladimir Putin] and the government will not again violate international law with the use of force,” Scholz said.

In an interview with Stern magazine, he called Putin's policy imperialist. “He wants to expand his territory and increase his borders by force. He is desperately trying to restore Russia's former importance in a changed world," the Chancellor said.

Turkish Foreign Ministry threatened to respond to the "slightest attack" on a NATO member Politics

The day before, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that NATO does not plan to participate in a special operation in Ukraine, but in the event of an attack on a member of the organization, a response will follow.

“We will respond if there is even the slightest attack on any ally,” he said, stressing that “NATO’s position is clear.”

Finland and Sweden have the status of a NATO partner country. Now the bloc includes 30 countries, of the Scandinavian states Norway and Denmark are included in it.
An active discussion of the issue of the possible entry of the two countries into the alliance began against the backdrop of a Russian special operation in Ukraine.

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NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg assured that the alliance will be able to quickly receive Finland and Sweden if requested from them.

See also When Sweden and Finland get into NATO 07:39

The Russian Foreign Ministry said that Finland's accession to NATO would have "negative consequences for stability in northern Europe." Russia will strengthen the grouping of ground forces on the border with the alliance and deploy the Navy in the Gulf of Finland, Security Council deputy HEAD Dmitry Medvedev warned.

Press Secretary of the President of Russia Dmitry Peskov said that he does not consider the further expansion of NATO through the entry of Sweden and Finland into the bloc an existential threat to Russia. Nevertheless, he stressed that in this Moscow will have to "balance the situation."

Finnish President Sauli Niinistö, in turn, said that the warnings of Russian officials about the consequences of the country's accession to NATO are an expected reaction.

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