Finnish FM To Deliver CSIS Lecture Ahead Of Meeting With Sec State Blinken

09:00 ET/14:00 BST: Finnish foreign minister Pekka Haavisto will give a lecture at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

• 'This discussion is an opportunity to hear from Minister Haavisto on how he sees Europe’s security environment and the impetus behind Finland's historic decision to join NATO, as well as how they will work with the United States and other allies.'
• Livestream and event details here: https://www.csis.org/events/crossroads-finlands-pe...
• The lecture comes ahead of a meeting between Haavisto and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the State Department. Blinken and Haavisto are scheduled to give a joint press conference following their meeting at 14:15 ET/19:15 BST: Livestream:www.youtube.com/statedept.
• The meeting comes as Turkey refuses to yield on opposition to the Nordic NATO bids. Turkish FM Mevlüt Cavusoglu said today: 'A concrete step needs to be taken regarding Turkey's concerns. They have to cut the support given to terrorism.'
• Delegations from Sweden and Finland met with Turkish counterparts in Ankara on Wednesday and spox from all parties said talks were productive but failed to announce a breakthrough.
• Turkey claims that Sweden and Finland harbour people connected to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and followers of Fethullah Gulen, the Turkish preacher accused by Ankara of orchestrating a 2016 coup attempt.