NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and ambassadors of the North Atlantic Council met with Finnish President Sauli Niinistö in Helsinki on Monday (25 October 2021) at the start of a three-day visit to Finland and Sweden.
The Secretary General welcomed the close cooperation between NATO and Finland on security in the Baltic Sea region, as well as in the High North. "Together, we make the Euro-Atlantic region more secure and more stable, including through NATO's enhanced forward presence in the Baltic region, our air policing mission and of course Finland's commitment to its national defence," he said.
Mr. Stoltenberg praised Finland for its contributions to international peace and security, from the Western Balkans to Iraq. The Secretary General and President Niinistö also discussed NATO's Open Door policy and the Secretary General reiterated that the Alliance's door remains open to countries in Europe that meet the criteria for membership.
