NATO secretary general to meet with top US officials

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will meet with top U.S. officials beginning on Wednesday, close to two weeks after top leaders from Finland and Sweden met with President Biden about joining the military alliance.

Stoltenberg will meet with Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday, and the two will hold a press conference, according to a press release from NATO. He will make joint remarks with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Thursday.

The NATO secretary general is also expected to meet with national security adviser Jake Sullivan, according to the NATO release.

Biden earlier this month met with Finnish President Sauli Niinistö and Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, whose countries have formally applied for NATO membership after the Russian invasion shifted the nations’ stances on joining the alliance. 

Biden voiced his support for both joining the military alliance, saying, “Finland and Sweden make NATO stronger.” 

Stoltenberg also met with Finnish and Swedish officials earlier this month after the countries submitted their applications. All 30 NATO nations must agree on NATO membership for both, though Turkey has objected to their memberships.

Last Friday, Blinken said the U.S. was “confident” that both countries would be able to join the military alliance.

“There is a very strong consensus in NATO for the admission of Finland and Sweden, and I remain confident that we will work through this process swiftly and that things will move forward with both countries,” he said.