Ratas: We're moving in the right direction with Turkey
Prime Minister Jüri Ratas said at the NATO summit in London that the allies have found a solution to the Turkish issue and renewed defense plans for the Baltics and Poland will be approved.
"We have found a joint solution with allies: our defense plan has been approved. This shows once again that transatlantic cooperation is working, allied cooperation is working, NATO is working. I'm especially glad to be able to say this in London where we are celebrating the alliance's 70th anniversary," Ratas said on Wednesday afternoon.
Ratas met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday evening.
"We attended a reception yesterday and there were conversations between two, three and four participants. Give us a little time to discuss these matters and we will let you know once an agreement has been reached," the PM said then.
Stoltenberg: we can find a solution for renewed defense plans
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday morning that plans are in place for defending all NATO members, including the Baltics and Poland.
"I'm sure we will be able to find a solution for the problem of renewing defense plans. I also discussed the matter with President Erdogan yesterday evening, and we will continue working on it," Stoltenberg said.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Urmas Reinsalu told ERR that there will be a meeting between the Turkish president and Baltic and Polish leaders on Tuesday.
"We have no separate conflict with Turkey when it comes to renewing defense plans for our region. The matter is much broader, and it is in our interests to find a workable solution as quickly as possible," Reinsalu said on Tuesday.
Before leaving for the London summit held Tuesday and Wednesday, President Erdogan said he would discuss the impasse with Baltic and Polish leaders. Erdogan has also said he discussed the matter with his Polish colleague Andrzej Duda on Monday.
Ankara had previously suggested it won't back new defense plans for Eastern Europe if NATO refuses to classify the Kurdish militia group YPG as a terrorist organization.
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Editor: Marcus Turovski