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Transcript/Script((PLAYBOOK SLUG: 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
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:
VID APPROVED BY:
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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.]]
((Video: AFP V000_329Y4XW: video of new graves in Ukraine marked with simple twig crosses, over to B-roll of Blinken and the Swedish FM meeting, walking, shaking hands last week at the State Dept: AFP V000_329G468))
((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.
((Video: Finland FM speaking remotely and B-roll of European Parliament: AFP V045_329X7A))
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.
((MRT White House Friday)
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.”
((Erdogan B-roll: AFP V000_32A248E))
((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.
((Video: AFP V000_32A26LM: Finland’s FM speaking Friday about NATO))
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.
((Video: Putin May 9th Victory Day B-roll, AFP V000_329R647)
Russia’s foreign ministry warned that it would view Finland or Sweden joining NATO as a threat to its security and would respond.
((Video: AFP V000_32882BN B-roll of Finnish soldiers conducting exercises, aerial views of Finland’s border with Russia))
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.))
((Video: Michael Kimmage SOT 1: https://app.frame.io/player/80743e7f-7aa3-4f00-8810-3bc9fac27d70 TC 00:02:11 - 00:02:44))
((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.”
((Video: AFP V045_9WL4QJ: . Zoom in Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State, and Annalena Baerbock, German Foreign Minister, arrive and greet each other))
((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.
((Video: Michael Kimmage SOT 2: https://app.frame.io/player/80743e7f-7aa3-4f00-8810-3bc9fac27d70 TC 00:03:16 - 00:03:58))
((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.”
((Video: AFP V045_328W4B4: video of Macron greeting a cheering crowd outside in Paris on election night))
((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
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