After months of blockade, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan could agree to allow Finland to join NATO without Sweden in Istanbul on Friday. The Finnish head of state Sauli Niinistö is also present. This means that Finland’s admission can be ratified by parliament before the May 14 elections in Turkey.
Finland and Sweden had applied for NATO membership about ten months ago under the impression of Russia’s offensive war against Ukraine. 28 of the 30 current members of the Western military alliance have ratified their accession protocols, only Hungary and Turkey have not yet ratified. Ankara is blocking accession, partly on the grounds of insufficient combat against “terrorist organisations” among the NATO candidates. This means, above all, the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party PKK. The objections are mainly aimed at Sweden.
Sweden could follow later
Since submitting the application in May 2022, Sweden and Finland have repeatedly emphasized their wish to be admitted to NATO at the same time and “hand in hand”. However, the Turkish blockade, which intensified after several Islamophobic protests in Stockholm at the beginning of the year, has made this parallel step very difficult. It has therefore been rumored for some time that Turkey would first agree to Finland joining NATO and that Sweden could follow at a later date.
The fact that Erdogan would let Finland go first and Sweden wait was something Northern Europe had been counting on lately. During a visit to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson confirmed that his country is also prepared for this possibility – even if he would still prefer joint accession with Finland.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
