NATO Secretary General with Prime Minister of Sweden 🇸🇪 Ulf Kristersson, 24 OCT 2023

Press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the Prime Minister of Sweden, Ulf Kristersson, 24 October 2023.

🗣 | NATO Secretary General:

Prime Minister Kristersson,
kjære [dear] Ulf.

Let me begin by expressing my condolences to the people of Sweden, and the loved ones of the victims, following last week’s terrorist attack in Brussels.

NATO stands in solidarity with you.
Terrorism must never prevail.

Today, we discussed finalising Sweden’s NATO accession.

I spoke with President Erdogan over the weekend.
And I welcome that he yesterday sent the accession protocol to the Grand National Assembly.

This is in line with the agreement at the Vilnius summit in July.

Sweden has fulfilled its commitments.

Sweden has:
Amended its constitution, changed its laws,
expanded counter-terrorism cooperation, and resumed arms exports to Türkiye.

NATO has recommitted to the fight against terrorism.
Including by updating our action plan.

And I have appointed an Assistant Secretary General to serve as my Special Coordinator for Counter-Terrorism.

Ensuring our response remains strong, effective and coherent.

No other Ally has suffered more terrorist attacks than Türkiye.

And I am glad we have been able to address Türkiye’s legitimate security concerns in a way that enables Sweden’s membership to move forward.

I look forward to welcoming Sweden as a full NATO Ally in the very near future.

Sweden has highly capable forces and years of experience operating with NATO.

You are already integrating even more deeply into the Alliance.

Just in the last few days:

The British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth visited Gothenburg.

US bombers exercised with Swedish jets.

And Allied and Swedish Special Forces trained on the Baltic Sea.

Sweden’s membership will make NATO stronger.
Sweden is fully ready to join NATO.
The time has come.

And following the submission of the ratification documents, I now count on a speedy ratification by the Turkish parliament.

Tomorrow I will attend the NATO-Industry Forum.

Let me thank you for hosting the event here in Stockholm.

This is yet another sign of how close Sweden is to NATO.

Our security relies on our technological edge and our defence industry.

So it is important that major companies from across the Alliance and beyond will be present.

Russia’s war against Ukraine has depleted Allied stocks.

Ramping up production is essential to meet Ukraine’s needs and to ensure our own defences.

Speed and volume matters.

As Russia prepares again to use winter as a weapon of war.

So let me thank Sweden for its major financial, humanitarian and military aid to Ukraine.

Including your latest 200 million dollar support package for ammunition and equipment to Ukraine.

Today, we also addressed recent damage to critical undersea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea.

Allies and Sweden are working together to establish the facts.

And NATO is strengthening our presence in the region.

This includes more surveillance and reconnaissance.
As well as more ships under NATO command.
NATO will always do this, and we will do what is necessary to protect and defend our Allies.

Finally, we discussed the situation in the Middle East, and Israel’s response to the horrific terrorist attack launched by Hamas.

Israel has the right to defend itself in line with international law.

The protection of civilians is essential,
and I welcome efforts to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches Gaza.

Iran and Hezbollah should not take advantage of the conflict.
It is important that this situation does not escalate further.

So once again Prime Minister Kristersson, dear Ulf, it is great to be hear and thank you so much for your warm welcome.

Transcript continues: https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/op...

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