07/04/2023
Foreign Ministers meet for a historic week for NATO
On the first day of the meetings and as the Alliance marked its 74th anniversary, Finland was welcomed to NATO as the 31st Ally. An accession ceremony was held at NATO headquarters in Brussels, where the Finnish flag was raised for the first time, and their national anthem and the NATO hymn were played in the presence of the President, Foreign Minister and Defence Minister, and the foreign ministers of all NATO Allies and invitee Sweden.
Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said at the ceremony, ❝Thirty-one flags flying together as a symbol of our unity and solidarity… from today, we stand together as Allies.❞
On day two, Ministers wrapped up discussions with a meeting with partners – Australia, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, and the European Union.
Ministers addressed China’s growing alignment with Russia. ❝Allies have been clear that any provision of lethal aid by China to Russia would be a historic mistake, with profound implications,❞ said the Secretary General. He stressed that as Beijing and Moscow push back against the rules-based international order, it is even more important for NATO Allies and like-minded partners to stand together.
NATO’s support for Ukraine was also a major focus of discussions. Allies will develop a multi-year initiative to help ensure Ukraine’s deterrence and defence, make the transition from Soviet-era equipment and doctrines to NATO standards, and increase interoperability with NATO – ❝a clear demonstration that our support will continue for the long haul❞, noted Jens Stoltenberg, adding that this programme will assist Ukraine on its path to Euro-Atlantic integration, because ❝Ukraine’s future is in the Euro-Atlantic family.❞
