Baerbock puts a stop to the fighter jet debate – and wants NATO expansion “without further delay”

Finland and Sweden are stuck on Erdogan's veto on their way to NATO.

Foreign Minister Baerbock is in Scandinavia for talks.

News ticker.

• Visit to

  Finland

  and

  Sweden

  : Annalena Baerbock advises on the countries joining NATO

• Scandinavia

  trip: Baerbock wants to implement

  NATO's northern expansion

  "without further delay".

• Fighter jet debate

  on the sidelines of a visit to Scandinavia:

  Baerbock

  rejects considerations

• This

  news ticker

  about

  Annalena

  Baerbock's

  Finland-Sweden trip

  is continuously updated.

Update from February 13, 9:39 p.m .:

Baerbock continues its two-day trip to Scandinavia in Sweden on Tuesday.

Her talks with Foreign Minister Tobias Billström in Stockholm are likely to focus primarily on the country's planned admission to NATO.

Sweden wants to join the western military alliance with Finland.

Under the impression of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the two EU partners jointly applied for membership in May 2022.

All 30 members currently have to ratify accession - 28 have already done so, only Hungary and Turkey not yet.

Hungarian objections are not expected.

Turkey, on the other hand, has been blocking NATO's northern expansion for a long time.

She justifies her position primarily with the fact that Sweden is not taking sufficient action against terrorist organizations.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan means above all the banned Kurdish Workers' Party PKK.

On Monday, Baerbock in Finland had pushed for both countries to be admitted quickly.

Fighter jet debate on the sidelines of a visit to Scandinavia: Baerbock rejects considerations

Update from February 13, 7:27 p.m.:

Prior to consultations with Western allies about further arms deliveries to Ukraine, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock confirmed that the provision of fighter jets for the federal government is currently not an issue.

"This is not a debate we are having," repeated the Green politician on Monday during a visit to the Finnish capital Helsinki.

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In Finland, Baerbock met the Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto (l).

© Christophe Gateau / dpa

Trip to Scandinavia: Baerbock wants to implement NATO's northern expansion "without further delay".

Update from February 13, 6:38 p.m .:

Annalena Baerbock has urged Turkey and Hungary to clear the way for Finland and Sweden to join NATO.

"At the NATO summit in Madrid last summer, we jointly laid the foundation for accession and of course we expect all NATO members to implement this decision without further delay," said the Greens politician at a press conference on Monday Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto in Helsinki.

The two Nordic countries met the agreed targets.

Now you should also follow the procedure that was agreed in Madrid.

The fact that Finland, after 80 years of non-alignment, has decided to join NATO is a "historic step," said Baerbock.

"So today I want to reiterate how enriching it is for the alliance that you want to join NATO," she said.

"As a result, our alliance gains two valuable new members with whom we already work very, very closely."

Visit to Finland and Sweden: Annalena Baerbock discusses joining NATO

First report:

Helsinki/Stockholm/Berlin - Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) left on Monday (February 13) for a two-day visit to the NATO accession candidates Finland and Sweden.

"After 80 years of Finnish and 200 years of Swedish non-alignment, both countries have decided to join NATO.

We will continue to work towards this together,” explained the Green politician before leaving for Helsinki.

Both in Helsinki and in Stockholm, the main focus will probably be on the two countries joining NATO, which Turkey has been blocking for a long time.

Help for Ukraine will also be a priority.

Finland has a 1340 km border with Russia.

Sweden currently plays a central role in the EU.

At the turn of the year, the country took over the rotating presidency of the EU Council.

Finland and Sweden jointly applied for NATO membership in May 2022 under the impression of the Ukraine war.

All 30 members of the defense alliance must ratify accession.

28 have already done so, only Hungary and Turkey not yet.

NATO enlargement: The growing defense alliance

NATO enlargement: The growing defense alliance

Sweden's NATO entry: Recep Tayyip Erdogan blocked

Serious Hungarian objections are not expected, but Turkey has been blocking NATO's northern expansion for a long time.

She justifies her position primarily with the fact that Sweden is not taking sufficient action against terrorist organizations.

The Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan means above all the banned Kurdish Workers' Party PKK.

Most recently, the burning of the Koran provided Erdogan with further arguments.

List of rubrics: © Christophe Gateau / dpa