Scholz: NATO summit to send strong message about protecting one's security

NATO leaders' summit in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, would send a strong signal of trans-Atlantic cooperation, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said.

He made the remarks at the Bundestag parliament on June 22, DW reports.

He said leaders were planning an array of new defensive measures, for instance regarding the protection of key underwater infrastructure, discussed since the damage to the Nord Stream gas pipelines. 

He also repeated a recurring plea to his Turkish counterpart.

"I am of the firm conviction that as well as new member Finland, Sweden should also sit at the summit table," Scholz said. "And I appeal to the re-elected Turkish head of state [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan to clear the path for this, as we all collectively agreed to do in Madrid last summer," referring to last year's NATO leaders' summit. 

At the same time, the German chancellor noted the importance of the relationship that will develop between NATO and Ukraine in the future.