Finnish Defense Minister Antti Kaikkonen will discuss the country's accession process to the North Atlantic Alliance in Ankara on December 7-8, the Finnish Defense Ministry said.

Defense Minister Antti Kaikkonen will pay a working visit to Ankara on December 7-8, 2022, at the invitation of Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, the statement said.

The defense ministers will discuss Finland's accession process to NATO, the overall security situation and defense cooperation between the countries, the ministry said. Defense Minister Kaikkonen will also lay a wreath at Ataturk's mausoleum, the Finnish Defense Ministry said.

Finland and Sweden, against the backdrop of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine, submitted applications to the NATO secretary general for membership in the alliance on May 18. To date, only two countries out of 30 - Hungary and Turkey - have not ratified Sweden's and Finland's applications to NATO.