NATO chief to visit Finland, Sweden on June 12-13

ANKARA

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg will visit Finland and Sweden on June 12-13, the alliance said in a press release on Friday.

In Finland, Stoltenberg will meet with President Sauli Niinisto, Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, and other senior officials, it noted.

He will also participate in the Kultaranta Talks, to be held under the theme of "responsible, strong and stable Nordic region," on Sunday.

On Monday, the NATO chief will travel to Sweden to meet with Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson and government officials.

Stoltenberg will hold joint news conferences with Niinisto and Andersson during his visits.

Both countries formally applied to join NATO on May 18, a decision spurred by Russia's war on Ukraine, which began on Feb. 24.