Finland has received approval from Turkey to join the NATO defense alliance, as announced by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. While this is good news for Finland, Sweden is still facing uncertain prospects in its own bid to join NATO. Following a meeting with Romanian Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă in Stockholm, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson expressed his disappointment that Sweden could not join NATO at the same time as Finland. Kristersson also highlighted that Sweden is now waiting for Turkey’s elections in May. However, the prime minister remains optimistic as he claims that 28 of the 30 NATO member states have already expressed support for Sweden’s membership application. Nevertheless, Kristersson acknowledged that whether Sweden can join NATO ultimately depends on the decisions of Turkey and Hungary, the two remaining members still to decide. During the press conference, Romania showed support for Sweden’s NATO membership and thanked Sweden for supporting its own bid to join the EU.
It is now clear that Finland has received the go-ahead from Turkey to take the step into the NATO defense alliance. According to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, the Finnish flag will be raised at NATO headquarters in a few days.
At the same time, things still look dark for Sweden, which had the goal of joining NATO hand in hand with Finland.
At a press conference on Friday, Ulf Kristersson was asked questions about the continued process. This after a meeting in Stockholm with Romanian Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă, where the issue was discussed.
According to Kristersson, it is good for Sweden that Finland is now a member.
– But it would have been even better if we entered at the same time, he says.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) congratulates Finland on soon being a member of NATO. Photo: Jonas Ekströmer/TT
For Sweden, it is now a matter of waiting for the elections in Turkey in May, emphasized the prime minister. The Swedish application is considered to have become part of an election campaign in which President Erdogan is fighting to be re-elected.
But according to Kristersson, a series of contacts are now also being made with other NATO countries that want Sweden in the alliance. 28 out of 30 member states have already said yes.
– We have incredibly good international support, he says.
At the same time, Ulf Kristersson believes that for Sweden it is also about having a little ice in the stomach. Ultimately, it is only Turkey and Hungary, the two countries that have not yet accepted Sweden in NATO, that can make their decisions, he asserts.
At the press conference, the Romanian Prime Minister expressed his clear support for Sweden in NATO. At the same time, he thanked Sweden for being early in saying yes to his country as a member of the EU.
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