(10 Jul 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Washington, DC – 10 July 2024
1. SOUNDBITE (English) Ulf Kristersson, Swedish Prime Minister:
"After more than 200 years of military non-alignment, I have the privilege of being at my very first NATO summit as a full-fledged NATO member of Sweden. And that is, of course, historic for us. But I do think we will add a few things to the alliance as well. Normally, when I’m asked, what does Sweden bring to NATO. I normally answer, we’ll bring geography and we’ll bring capacity. Geography, for obvious reasons. Just look at the map. In the Nordic region now the full Nordic region is NATO land. That creates totally new possibilities for cooperation in our part of the world. The second is capacity. We have unique capacities in terms of military equipment, in terms of air defense, fighters, submarines, intelligence, radar, not least very well-trained, internationally trained, soldiers. So I think we bring quite a few things also as assets to the alliance, together with our strong military defense industry. Finally, we are since a few years, we are reaching the 2% target. We are heading towards 2.6% the coming, coming years. And we are very strong supporters of the transatlantic cooperation in general and transatlantic cooperation to help Ukraine win this war. Thank you so much."
++BLACK FRAMES++
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Bjarni Benediktsson, Icelandic Prime Minister:
"Now, it is always a great pleasure to visit the United States where I did part of my university studies, but it is especially important and meaningful to come up on such an occasion. As the prime minister of Iceland, one of NATO’s 12 founding nations, I am extremely happy to attend the first meeting where all the Nordics are present, with, Sweden being, attending with their leader for the first time after their membership, was realized not so long ago. This is a historic point in time for the Nordics, and creates a stronger platform for all of the Nordic countries to discuss and evaluate matters of importance in the North Atlantic, and in our region of the world. Now, increased tensions in the world, not least the illegal war that Russia is waging against Ukraine puts this summit in a not so pleasant context, but it creates an environment, under which we must come together and show that the alliance is stronger than ever, that we are willing to do more to strengthen our partnership. And Iceland will be, and has been, an increasing contributor to the NATO partnership."
++ENDS ON A SOUNDBITE++
STORYLINE:
The leaders of Sweden and Iceland touted their contributions to the NATO alliance on a day when a joint communique from all 32 NATO allies meeting in Washington is expected.
The communique will cement the “irreversible” NATO commitment to Ukraine, a European official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss it before its release.
Ukraine is on an “irreversible” path to NATO membership, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday, advancing American assurances that the country will be allowed to join the Western military alliance but only after its war with Russia ends.
"After more than 200 years of military non-alignment, I have the privilege of being at my very first NATO summit as a full-fledged NATO member of Sweden," said Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. "And that is, of course, historic for us," he said.
"We have unique capacities in terms of military equipment, in terms of air defense, fighters, submarines, intelligence, radar, not least very well-trained, internationally trained, soldiers."
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