For now, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is holding onto his country’s veto over Finland and Sweden’s admission to NATO. “We have told the leaders in NATO that we will say no to the accession of Finland and Sweden. And we will continue to do so,” Erdogan said again on Thursday.
Turkey on Wednesday blocked the start of admission talks with both Scandinavian countries in the NATO Council. This is justified with alleged support from the banned Kurdish workers’ party PKK and the Syrian Kurdish militia YPG. As a result of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, Finland and Sweden want to join the Western military alliance.
Experts suspect various motives behind the Turkish actions. Arms deals could also play a role. Ankara wants to buy fighter jets in the United States – but a possible deal was recently politically controversial in Washington. Others suspect domestic political reasons. Erdogan’s polls are falling. The demands for crackdown on the PKK have traditionally found favor with nationalist constituencies.
Finland hopes for dialogue
Meanwhile, Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera that Turkey’s resistance can be resolved through dialogue. “I think at this stage it is important to keep calm, have talks with Turkey and all other member states, answer questions and rectify any misunderstandings,” she said.
She went on to say that NATO has no intention of stationing nuclear weapons or bases in Finland. Even within NATO there is no interest in it.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
