Blinken-Europe-Ukraine -- WEB
Metadata
- Blinken-Europe-Ukraine -- WEB
- May 14, 2022
- Content Type Package
- Language English
- Transcript/Script English Blinken-Europe-Ukraine HEADLINE: Blinken Heads to Germany and France as Finland Moves to Join NATO TEASER: Finland’s move to join NATO will likely be at the top of the agenda at an informal NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Berlin PUBLISHED AT: 5/13/22 at 8p BYLINE: Cindy Saine CONTRIBUTOR: DATELINE: the State Department VIDEOGRAPHER: NONE PRODUCER: SCRIPT EDITORS: AP, Jepsen VIDEO SOURCE (S): Saine Skype Video interview, AP, AFP, Reuters PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _x_ RADIO __ TRT: 2:37 VID APPROVED BY: Jepsen TYPE: EDITOR NOTES: BALANCE EDIT NEEDED)) ((INTRO: )) [[ U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is heading to Germany and France on Saturday for NATO and trade meetings, as Finland says it wants to join NATO in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Russia has warned it will respond to what it calls a hostile move. VOA's Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports from the State Department.]] ((NARRATOR)) As Russian forces continue to kill civilians in Ukraine, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet with NATO allies in Berlin on Sunday, before heading to Paris on Monday. The NATO meeting in Berlin will likely focus on Finland’s leaders confirming they will apply to join NATO without delay, citing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Sweden is also considering such a move. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki: ((Jen Psaki, White House Press Secretary)) “I think there's no question, and you've seen this from the public statements of a number of NATO leaders, that there is broad support from NATO member countries for Finland and Sweden.” ((NARRATOR)) Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday he opposes the two Scandanavian nations joining NATO, accusing them of being “guesthouses” for Kurdish militants. Psaki said the White House is working to clarify Turkey’s position. Finland’s Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said he hopes to have the chance to meet with his Turkish counterpart in Berlin on Sunday to discuss the issue. Russia’s foreign ministry warned that it would view Finland or Sweden joining NATO as a threat to its security and would respond. Experts tell VOA that Finland joining NATO would shake up the security order in Europe, both for NATO and for Russia. ((Radio Intro: Michael Kimmage is with the German Marshall fund. He spoke to VOA via Skype.)) ((Michael Kimmage, German Marshall Fund) ((Mandatory Skype Courtesy)) “It's a very, very long border and of course it brings NATO very close to — or will bring NATO if it all goes through — very close to St. Petersburg. And at the same time, it will give NATO a lot more territory right on the Russian border to defend. So those are big steps. Those are big changes.” ((NARRATOR)) Secretary Blinken is a popular figure in Germany and will likely encourage Berlin to wean itself off Russian energy and provide more heavy weapons to Ukraine, Michael Kimmage says. ((Michael Kimmage, German Marshall Fund) ((Mandatory Skype Courtesy)) “So, it may be the use of a little bit of soft power on the U.S. side to just build momentum for, you know, Germany getting off Russian gas and oil. That's not going to happen immediately, but it will happen down the road.” ((NARRATOR)) Blinken’s visit to Paris Monday will be his first since French President Emmanuel Macron won re-election last month, in an election widely viewed as critical to transatlantic unity to support Ukraine. Cindy Saine, VOA News, the State Department
- Transcript/Script Blinken-Europe-Ukraine HEADLINE: Blinken Heads to Germany and France as Finland Moves to Join NATO TEASER: Finland’s move to join NATO will likely be at the top of the agenda at an informal NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Berlin PUBLISHED AT: 5/13/22 at 8p BYLINE: Cindy Saine CONTRIBUTOR: DATELINE: the State Department VIDEOGRAPHER: NONE PRODUCER: SCRIPT EDITORS: AP, Jepsen VIDEO SOURCE (S): Saine Skype Video interview, AP, AFP, Reuters PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _x_ RADIO __ TRT: 2:37 VID APPROVED BY: Jepsen TYPE: EDITOR NOTES: BALANCE EDIT NEEDED)) ((INTRO: )) [[ U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is heading to Germany and France on Saturday for NATO and trade meetings, as Finland says it wants to join NATO in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Russia has warned it will respond to what it calls a hostile move. VOA's Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports from the State Department.]] ((NARRATOR)) As Russian forces continue to kill civilians in Ukraine, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet with NATO allies in Berlin on Sunday, before heading to Paris on Monday. The NATO meeting in Berlin will likely focus on Finland’s leaders confirming they will apply to join NATO without delay, citing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Sweden is also considering such a move. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki: ((Jen Psaki, White House Press Secretary)) “I think there's no question, and you've seen this from the public statements of a number of NATO leaders, that there is broad support from NATO member countries for Finland and Sweden.” ((NARRATOR)) Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday he opposes the two Scandanavian nations joining NATO, accusing them of being “guesthouses” for Kurdish militants. Psaki said the White House is working to clarify Turkey’s position. Finland’s Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said he hopes to have the chance to meet with his Turkish counterpart in Berlin on Sunday to discuss the issue. Russia’s foreign ministry warned that it would view Finland or Sweden joining NATO as a threat to its security and would respond. Experts tell VOA that Finland joining NATO would shake up the security order in Europe, both for NATO and for Russia. ((Radio Intro: Michael Kimmage is with the German Marshall fund. He spoke to VOA via Skype.)) ((Michael Kimmage, German Marshall Fund) ((Mandatory Skype Courtesy)) “It's a very, very long border and of course it brings NATO very close to — or will bring NATO if it all goes through — very close to St. Petersburg. And at the same time, it will give NATO a lot more territory right on the Russian border to defend. So those are big steps. Those are big changes.” ((NARRATOR)) Secretary Blinken is a popular figure in Germany and will likely encourage Berlin to wean itself off Russian energy and provide more heavy weapons to Ukraine, Michael Kimmage says. ((Michael Kimmage, German Marshall Fund) ((Mandatory Skype Courtesy)) “So, it may be the use of a little bit of soft power on the U.S. side to just build momentum for, you know, Germany getting off Russian gas and oil. That's not going to happen immediately, but it will happen down the road.” ((NARRATOR)) Blinken’s visit to Paris Monday will be his first since French President Emmanuel Macron won re-election last month, in an election widely viewed as critical to transatlantic unity to support Ukraine. Cindy Saine, VOA News, the State Department
- NewsML Media Topics Conflict, War and Peace, Politics
- Topic Tags War Diplomacy Ukraine
- Network VOA
- Embargo Date May 13, 2022 20:10 EDT
- Description English U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is heading to Germany and France on Saturday for NATO and trade meetings, as Finland says it wants to join NATO in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Russia has warned it will respond to what it calls a hostile move. VOA's Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports from the State Department.
- Brand / Language Service Voice of America - English