Former NATO chief proudest of Sweden, Finland accession

Former NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg has said Sweden and Finland's entry into the defence alliance was the decision he is most proud of during his decade‑long tenure, thanking Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for his cooperation. “The one decision that I am most proud of is … to enlarge NATO with Finland and Sweden,” he told Anadolu ahead of the July 7‑8 Ankara summit. Stoltenberg, now Norway’s finance minister, noted that the process was not automatic, as both countries had remained neutral for centuries.

Historic achievement

“Finland and Sweden, they have been neutral for centuries. For Sweden, neutrality has been part of their identity. Finland was, of course, part of Russia at some stage and then also had a security arrangement with Russia,” he said. “But for those two countries to join, that was a huge achievement for the alliance, for Finland and Sweden,” he added. Finland officially joined NATO on April 4, 2023, and Sweden became a full member on March 7, 2024, following Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Unity and Türkiye’s role

Stoltenberg said his “main expectation” from the Ankara meeting is to demonstrate unity. Despite differences on trade, Iran, and climate, all allies should clearly state that “we stand together, we protect each other, we are safer together than apart.” He stressed the importance of sending a message that support for Ukraine will continue. Commenting on Türkiye’s contributions, he said the country has been a key NATO ally for years due to its geographic location, control of the straits, and its large army. He congratulated Türkiye for hosting the summit, saying: “It will be an important summit and I’m absolutely certain it will be a successful summit.”