Solz returns to Berlin with a polite Norwegian “no” to more natural gas. Accelerating Sweden’s accession to NATO – message from Stockholm to Ankara.
The two-day visit of Chancellor Olaf Solz to Sweden and Norway ended with a heavy agenda, albeit in the middle of August, and the main issues being energy security in Europe, the future of NATO and the common line against the war in Ukraine and Moscow.
The acceleration of the national ratification procedures of the agreement on the accession of Sweden and Finland to NATO was the focus of the joint press conference of Olaf Solz with the Prime Minister of Sweden Magdalena Andersson, since 23 of the 30 countries have already proceeded to ratify the relevant protocols, with a big thorn in Turkey – the country’s parliament convenes in the fall with fears of delays and other formal hurdles not being lifted. “I am sure that the procedures will move quickly,” Chancellor Olaf Solz said, sending a message to Ankara and Tayyip Erdoğan, while his Swedish counterpart wanted to emphasize that Sweden, for its part, will abide by the agreement with Turkey.
In the Ukrainian field, it is interesting that both leaders, when asked whether the weapons provided by the West can be used (and) to retake Crimea, did not rule out such a possibility, despite the fact that such a thing is put forward by the Kremlin as a “red line” to the West. The weapons are provided for Ukraine’s defense purposes, in defense of its territories, Olaf Solz implied, repeating his now well-known saying: “Putin must not win this war, it is important for Ukraine and Europe.”
“Norway provides the maximum it can provide”
On the other hand, the German-Norwegian energy cooperation was at the center of the Solz contacts yesterday in Oslo, with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gar Stere clearly answering Olaf Solz: “For the time being, Norway cannot expand natural gas supplies to Germany and Europe”.
As Jonas Ger Stere pointed out, “Norway is already offering the maximum it can dispose of”. At the same time, he praised the efforts made by Germany to switch to renewable energy sources, however characterizing the move away from fossil energy sources as obstacles. “Whatever can be converted into energy, will be converted into energy,” said the Norwegian prime minister.
The German chancellor thanked Norway for the oil and gas it has already provided Europe, in turn praising the country’s efforts to wean itself off Russian gas since the outbreak of war in Ukraine. He also announced the two countries’ intention for closer cooperation in the field of renewable sources.
Visa ban for Russian citizens?
Finally, Olaf Solz participated in Oslo and a summit of northern European countries with the participation of his counterparts from Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark and Iceland, with the main topic being, among other things, the possibility of banning visas for Russian citizens in Europe.
This is an issue that has been hotly debated in recent weeks, following a proposal by Eastern European countries and for which there is still no convergence. However, Chancellor Soltz is skeptical of such a thing, as was evident from the recent summer press conference he granted to German and foreign journalists. “It is a war of Putin and not of the Russians,” he said characteristically from Oslo.
Dimitra Kyranoudis, Berlin
Source: Deutsche Welle
Source: Capital
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