They will ask Turkey to “clarify its position” on accession and expect Russia to maintain its neighborly obligations outside the Alliance
Finland’s president, Sauli Niinisto, and the country’s prime minister, Sanna Marin, announced this Sunday the request for the country to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) with a view to “maximizing” their options. Ukraine.
Marin has expressed the wish that the ratification process will be “as fast and smooth as possible” and that “no member of the organization has reported any issues in this regard,” citing statements made Friday by Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. , on its disagreement with Finland’s and Sweden’s accession plans.
Erdogan expressed his discomfort after condemning the Scandinavian countries’ favorable treatment to organizations such as the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), declaring his country a terrorist group and, citing the case of Greece, estimated that joining NATO is rare. that territorial tensions.
Niinisto has responded by admitting his “confusion” over Turkey’s position, assuring that the president was “satisfied” and “for” the establishment. “Friday we heard something different and on Saturday it was open again for recording and then the opposite: we want a clear answer to this and we hope to talk to Erdogan about the problems it raises,” he added.
Regarding Russia’s response, the president indicated that “NATO membership does not change the geography” between the two neighboring countries, in his telephone conversation with Putin on Saturday, personally informing him of the decision to join. joining the bloc, both leaders recalled aspects of bilateral cooperation unrelated to the Atlantic Alliance “that we need to take care of in the future”.
It should not be forgotten that Russian President Niinisto warned that Finland’s accession to NATO could lead to “a negative impact” on bilateral relations, before assuring that his country does not pose any threat to its neighbour. “I hope and have no doubts,” said the Finnish president, “that Russia wants to continue with these day-to-day obligations, as has happened with Norway in the difficult context of the Arctic.” For her part, the prime minister stated fully aware that the Finnish request (and Sweden’s plans to do the same) “will affect the Baltic, Nordic and all northern regions” of Europe.
“The changes will not be seen in everyday life, they will be seen in our minds. Even if you don’t think about it in your everyday life, it affects the way you think about your personal situation,” the president added before referring to the conversation with Putin he had on Saturday as a meeting that was characterized by his candor. “Neither I nor Finland are known for slipping away and disappearing silently around a corner. It’s better to say things clearly,” he explained. For his part, Marin has assured that Finland has “taken preparatory measures” for every possibility. “Today’s Russia is very different from what we’ve seen before (the invasion). Everything changed when Russia invaded Ukraine and we can no longer rely on a peaceful future next to that country. That’s why we made the decision,” he says.
Thus, the president, together with the government’s foreign policy and security committee, has already completed the corresponding accession report, which will be submitted to the Cortes Generales after approval by the plenary government. After consultation with Parliament, Finland will formally apply to join the organisation, according to the statement published on the Presidency’s website this Sunday.
Source: La Verdad
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