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Former NATO Chief Calls Finland and Sweden Accession His Proudest Achievement

"The one decision that I am most proud of is … to enlarge NATO with Finland and Sweden," Stoltenberg said.

The New Finland
By The New Finland
Stoltenberg speaks on Verkhovna Rada. Ukrainе. 2019 Photo: Vadim Chuprina/Wikimedia Commons

The Briefing

  • Stoltenberg praised Finnish and Swedish NATO accession
  • The former chief credited Turkey for cooperation
  • The Ankara summit will focus on unity

Former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says the entry of Finland and Sweden into the military alliance is his most significant legacy.

Ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara on July 7-8, Stoltenberg praised the historic expansion and thanked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for his cooperation.

Now serving as Norway’s finance minister, Stoltenberg led the 32-member alliance for a decade. He noted that the Nordic expansion was not an automatic process due to both nations’ long history of neutrality.

“The one decision that I am most proud of is … to enlarge NATO with Finland and Sweden,” Stoltenberg stated.

Finland shares a 1,340-kilometre border with Russia and maintained military non-alignment for decades, while Sweden remained neutral for centuries.

Both nations abandoned this stance to submit joint applications in May 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine. Finland officially joined the alliance in April 2023, and Sweden became a full member in March 2024.

Looking ahead to the upcoming Ankara summit, the former chief stated that demonstrating allied unity remains the top priority. He emphasized that the alliance must send a clear message regarding continued support for Ukraine.

Stoltenberg highlighted that NATO’s primary purpose is preventing war through credible deterrence.

War prevention through deterrence

Stoltenberg highlighted that NATO’s primary purpose is preventing war through credible deterrence.

“As long as that message is credible, there will be no military attack because NATO is by far the strongest military alliance in the world,” he said.

While the war in Ukraine remains the most urgent challenge, Stoltenberg warned of growing unpredictability worldwide. He mentioned potential tensions in Asia and the Middle East, urging the alliance to remain prepared for unforeseen crises.

Stoltenberg also acknowledged Turkey’s critical role in the alliance, citing its geographic location near Iraq, Syria, and the Black Sea. He praised the host country for its ongoing commitment to NATO and its significant military capabilities.

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