defense
Erdogan hints at joining NATO – only for Finland
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at a press conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels. photo
© Markus Schreiber/AP/dpa
The Turkish President continues to veto the question of Sweden and Finland joining NATO. But he wouldn’t have any objections to Finland alone – but he does make conditions.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has indicated his approval for Finland’s admission to NATO – without Sweden. “If necessary, we can give a different message in relation to Finland,” Erdogan said in a speech to young people on Sunday evening, according to a report by the state news agency Anadolu. He added: “Sweden will be shocked if we make a different statement about Finland.” At the same time, he warned Finland not to make the same “mistakes” as the neighboring country.
Finland contacted Turkey immediately after Erdogan’s new statements. Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto made it clear again on Monday that Finland wants to join NATO at the same time as Sweden – nothing has changed on this line, he said at a press conference in Helsinki. He hopes that both countries will become members before the NATO summit in Vilnius in July. However, the timetable is in the hands of Turkey and Hungary – the two members who have not yet ratified accession. Finland’s and Sweden’s security belonged together and would continue to do so, Haavisto stressed.
Unanimity of all 30 alliance members required
As a result of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the two Nordic countries decided last year that they wanted to join NATO after decades without belonging to a military alliance. To do this, all 30 current members of the alliance must ratify the proposals, including Turkey. However, Erdogan has blocked a recording for months. He accuses Sweden of supporting “terrorist organizations” such as the banned Kurdish Workers’ Party PKK. He is also demanding the extradition of 130 alleged “terrorists”.
Last week, Erdogan said Sweden could not count on his country’s support after an Islamophobic politician burned a Koran near the Turkish embassy in Stockholm. The Turkish president is currently in the election campaign: Erdogan is trying for a third term in the elections in May. NATO member Hungary has not yet agreed to the admission of the two Nordic countries.