NATO has taken another crucial step to admit Sweden and Finland. The ambassadors of the 30 allied states signed the accession protocols at their headquarters in Brussels on Tuesday. These must now be approved by the individual countries to be effective. After that, Sweden and Finland can officially join the defense alliance. However, one element of uncertainty remains.
“This is a historic day for Finland, for Sweden, for NATO and for Euro-Atlantic security,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said after the signing ceremony. He now counts on all Allies to swiftly ratify the accession protocols. Sweden and Finland would make vital and important contributions to the alliance and make NATO even stronger, Stoltenberg said.
Turkey could block further
However, it’s unclear if it will really happen as soon as many had hoped. In Germany, for example, the accession protocols are due to be submitted to the Bundestag for approval next Friday. By contrast, Turkey remains a source of uncertainty. To the chagrin of the other allies, the country had postponed the start of the accession process for weeks, partly because of Sweden and Finland’s alleged support for organizations such as the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
It was only when both countries wrote on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Madrid last week that they would respond to various demands from Turkey that Turkey gave up its opposition to the start of the admission process. At the same time, however, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened that he would not submit the accession protocols to parliament for ratification if Sweden and Finland did not keep their word. In particular, he mentioned, for example, an alleged promise by Sweden to extradite more than 70 “terrorists”.
“No Hidden Documents”
Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde, present at the signing ceremony in Brussels, dodged questions afterwards. “Lists and numbers are not mentioned in the agreement,” she said, referring to the Madrid statement. “To the best of my knowledge, we have not received any specific lists.” Her Finnish counterpart Pekka Haavisto added: “Everything we have agreed is in the document.” There are no “hidden documents”. In the case of extradition requests, legal procedures and court decisions must be followed.
Sweden and Finland applied for NATO membership on May 18, amid the Russian attack on Ukraine. For decades, the two Scandinavian countries had championed the neutrality of alliances. Stoltenberg said on Tuesday that Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine has destroyed peace in Europe. That is why it is now important to stand together at this perilous moment in history.
Protected against possible attacks
Until Finland and Sweden become official members of the alliance and can therefore request assistance in an attack under Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, they will be protected by security guarantees from countries such as the US, Britain, France and Germany. From now on they can also participate in NATO Council meetings without the right to vote.
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.
