Vladimir Putin’s war of aggression against Ukraine was a big strategic mistake. Such a statement made the NATO Secretary General at the start of the 2023 NATO Summit in Vilnius.

“This sends a very clear message to Russia, to President Putin, that NATO"s door remains open, and that it is for NATO Allies to decide on enlargement. Moscow, President Putin doesn"t have a veto on NATO enlargement. And this is demonstrated by the fact that Finland is now already a full-fledged member and that we yesterday agreed to also make Sweden full member, that Türkiye will ratify the accession protocols for Sweden.

So this sends a clear and strong message and also demonstrates that President Putin"s war of aggression against Ukraine was a big strategic mistake. He totally underestimated the Ukrainians, he underestimated the unity of NATO Allies, but he also underestimated the political consequences in countries like Sweden and Finland. He went to war because he wanted less NATO.

He"s getting more NATO. More NATO military presence in the eastern part of the Alliance and two new members, Finland already a member and then Sweden soon to become a member. So that just highlights the big strategic mistake that President Putin made when he invaded Ukraine.

Let me also add that this has been the fastest accession process in NATO’s modern history. That"s obviously the case for Finland, which is already a member, but also for Sweden. So this has actually gone fast. You have to remember that Sweden and Finland applied for membership in May last year.

Already in June, all Allies invited both Finland and Sweden to become members, then Finland was ratified a few months later, and Sweden obtained this Invitee status after the decision in Madrid, and now also their accession will be ratified. So this has been fast and that demonstrates the unity and the resolve, and the commitment of NATO Allies to demonstrate that NATO"s door remains open”, - said Jens Stoltenberg.