NATO has officially started admitting Finland and Sweden. According to information from the German news agency, all heads of state and government of the 30 member states approved the plans during Wednesday’s summit in Madrid. Turkey had only given up the blockade on Finland and Sweden to join NATO the night before – in exchange for concessions from the Scandinavian countries.
However, it will probably be a few more months before Finland and Sweden actually join the alliance. Current plans are to sign the accession protocols next Tuesday. After that, they still have to be ratified by the member states. It is estimated that it could take six to eight months for all 30 Allies to do this. In Germany, the Bundestag also has to agree to this.
Turkey blocks accession process for weeks
Finland and Sweden had applied for NATO membership on May 18, amid the Russian war against Ukraine. However, Turkey blocked the accession process for weeks, citing Sweden and Finland’s alleged support for “terrorist organizations” such as the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party PKK, the Syrian Kurdish militia YPG and the Gülen movement – accusations are rejected in Stockholm. and Helsinki. Turkey also demanded the extradition of several people suspected of being terrorists in Turkey.
The breakthrough came shortly before the summit on Tuesday, when Stoltenberg met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson and Finnish President Sauli Niinistö. In a joint statement, the two Scandinavian countries pledged to meet Turkey’s various demands.
Sweden and Finland, among others, promised that there would be no arms embargoes against Turkey. They also pledged to act decisively against terrorism and the PKK. Turkish extradition requests for terrorist suspects must also be investigated quickly.
US backs Erdogan
The US government also supports President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s plan to modernize Turkey’s fleet of F-16 fighter jets. Such a move would be “a contribution to NATO’s security and thus to the security of the United States,” US Department of Defense Secretary of State for International Security Affairs Celeste Wallander said on the margins of the NATO summit on Wednesday. in Madrid. “That is why the US Department of Defense fully supports Turkey’s plans to modernize its F-16 fleet. Those plans are in the works.”
Scholz: “Both countries are a very good fit for our alliance”
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and other heads of state and government welcomed the planned expansion of NATO. That is “something that is very, very important to us,” the German chancellor said on Wednesday. “Both countries fit very well into our alliance.” US President Joe Biden said of Russian President Vladimir Putin: “Putin wanted to make Europe Finnish. He will get the Natoization of Europe.” Finland was officially neutral during the Cold War, with Stoltenberg insisting: “President Putin didn’t shoot NATO’s door. He’s getting the opposite of what he wanted.”
In view of Russia’s war against Ukraine, the 30 NATO countries have also decided to significantly strengthen the eastern flank. In addition, the heads of state and government agreed on a new armed forces model at the Madrid summit on Wednesday, the German news agency learned from alliance circles. It plans to keep more than 300,000 soldiers on high operational readiness in the future.
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.
