Foreign Minister: Czechia would back Finland and Sweden’s admission to NATO

The Czech Republic would fully support the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský told reporters in Berlin where he is attending a two-day informal meeting of NATO foreign ministers. Finland and Sweden have both indicated they may abandon their neutral stance and file for NATO membership as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In connection with the worsened security situation, the Czech foreign minister said NATO's current priority must be to protect the alliance’s eastern members. He said these countries have long warned of the security threat posed by Russia and fear that Russia could continue to expand its sphere of influence in the event of Ukraine’s defeat.