Amidst tensions in Northern Europe following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Sweden and Finland, (with Finland sharing an 800 mile border with Russia), both applied this week for admittance to NATO, the world’s biggest security alliance.
The first meeting of the NATO ambassadors failed to reach a decision.
Turkey is expressing strong opposition to Finland and Sweden joining the 30 member military alliance.
“We have told our relevant friends we would say ‘no’ to Finland and Sweden’s entry into NATO, and we will continue on our path like this,” President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced in a video.
Each member of NATO has veto power. All 30 members must approve the admittance.
Acceptance to NATO could be a long drawn-out process. Not only do all members have to approve, but the parliaments of the applying countries must vote to approve as well. Due to the perceived threat from Russia, Sweden and Finland are eager to speed things up and get past Turkey’s roadblocks.
NATO Secretary-General, Jens Stoltenberg, said he is, “Confident that we will come to a quick decision to welcome both Sweden and Finland to join the NATO family,” a hint that the opposition from Turkey may be resolved.
Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said, “Turkey’s statements have changed very quickly and hardened in recent days. But I am sure that we will resolve the situation with constructive talks,” during a visit to Stockholm, Sweden.
Why Does Turkey Object?
Conflicts between Turkey and the two Nordic countries has to do with Turkey’s objection that Sweden and Finland support the Kurds in Syria, where thousands of people have been killed in conflicts since 1984. Turkey also believes that Sweden and Finland are hiding followers of Fethullah Gulen, who is a Muslim cleric, now in the US, who Turkey holds responsible for a 2016 coup attempt.
President Erdoğan accused Sweden and Finland of being “a focus of terror, home to terror,” stressing these countries’ alleged links to terrorist organizations, and their donations of financial and weapons support to terrorist groups.
Another point of contention is that Sweden and Finland, along with other European countries, restricted military exports to Turkey when Turkey invaded northeast Syria in 2019 to oust the Kurdish militants from the border area between Syria and Turkey.
President Sauli Niinistö of Finland and Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson of Sweden met with US President Joe Biden on Thursday, May 19. In the Rose Garden, Biden welcomed his guests and spoke to the press. He said that Sweden and Finland have full backing of the US. While standing next to the two leaders, he stated, “Today, I am proud to welcome and offer the strong support of the United States for the applications of two great democracies and two close, highly capable partners to join the strongest, most powerful defensive alliance in the history of the world.”
Russia’s Response?