German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier emphasized his country’s close ties with Scandinavian countries in his remarks to assembled leaders in Berlin on Monday.
Germany and the Scandinavian countries are similar in many ways, Steinmeier said at a reception at Bellevue Palace, his official residence, to mark the 25th anniversary of the shared Scandinavian embassy complex in Berlin.
“Not only do we share common interests in economic and geopolitical areas, but above all we share the same values, often the same temperament – and some would even say the same sense of humor,” Steinmeier said. a speech text that is provided to dpa in advance.
Germans are enchanted by the nature of the north and fascinated by the countries’ culture, he said.
Central Europeans have long been drawn to visiting “the islands off the Norwegian coast, to the rugged volcanic landscapes and hot springs of Iceland, to the eternal forests of Finland, to the Stockholm skerries, to the beaches of Denmark,” he said.
“And I have to say that as an avid hiker I can identify with the Norwegian saying ‘ut på tur, aldri sur’, or ‘on the trail, never sulk’,” he said.
Steinmeier hosted a dinner on Monday evening for a number of visiting leaders and dignitaries from the Nordic countries, including King Frederick X and Queen Mary of Denmark, Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden and Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Sweden. Norway.
The guest list also included the presidents of Finland and Iceland, Alexander Stubb and Halla Tómasdóttir, with their partners.
“Sometimes we wish we were a little more like you, even in business, politics and society. Your countries are ahead of us in many areas, for example when it comes to equality between women and men,” Steinmeier said.
It is also worth looking north when it comes to innovation; According to him, it is no coincidence that large technology companies such as Skype and Spotify were founded in northern Europe.
The Nordic countries are pioneers when it comes to digitalization, cutting red tape and switching to sustainable energy, he said.
Steinmeier emphasized that the move by Finland and Sweden to join NATO “has brought us Europeans even closer together, even if the reasons for this are painful.”
Steinmeier said Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has thrown the continent back into a time of confrontation and created divisions in the Baltic Sea, which links Germany and three of the Scandinavian countries.
“And we, as allies on the Baltic coast, must step up our own security efforts to counter the threat from Russia,” he said.
