Finland, Sweden closer to joining Nato after Türkiye deal
- Nato ally Türkiye lifted its veto over Finland and Sweden’s bid to join the Western military alliance
- The three nations agreed to protect each other’s security, ending a weeks-long drama that tested allied unity
Finland and Sweden took a major step on their way to Nato membership after Türkiye dropped its opposition to their bids, all but ensuring the military alliance’s expansion on Russia’s doorstep.
The move “sends a very clear message to President Putin that Nato’s door is open,” Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters at the start of an alliance summit in Madrid on Tuesday. “He wanted less Nato, now President Putin is getting more Nato on his borders. So what he gets is the opposite of what he actually demanded.”
Türkiye agreed to support inviting the two Nordic countries into the military alliance, after receiving pledges from Finland and Sweden addressing its security concerns, including restrictions on Kurdish groups that Türkiye considers terrorists, and avoiding arms embargoes.
“The talks were intense and tough, not in mood, but in terms of the subject matter, and after four hours, we reached an understanding,” Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said. “Türkiye becoming an ally now could impact the considerations” on arms export permits made on a case-by-case basis, he added.
Membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization for the two previously neutral countries would mark a significant shift in the European security landscape after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier met with Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, Niinisto and Stoltenberg.
The membership process will still take many months, including ratification from Nato allies’ parliaments, before Finland and Sweden become members and can benefit from the alliance’s article 5 collective defence commitments.
