Topline
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday his country opposes Finland and Sweden joining NATO, potentially blocking the two countries’ hopes for a quick accession into the alliance, as all 30 members have to approve new countries.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan holds a press conference at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, … [+]
Key Facts
Erdogan told reporters Turkey is following the developments with Finland and Sweden carefully, “but we don’t hold positive views,” Reuters quoted him as saying.
Erdogan said he was opposed to the two countries joining because of their support for Kurdish militants and others that Turkey considers to be terrorist organizations, claiming “Scandinavian countries are guesthouses for terrorist organisations.”
Finland and Sweden, along with some Western allies, have offered continued support to the Kurdish people and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, while Turkey has been fighting against armed Kurdish groups for decades.
A senior Turkish official told Bloomberg that Turkey wants Finland and Sweden to take a clear stance against Kurdish militants fighting in southeast Turkey, and that Turkey will hold negotiations over their membership.
Erdogan also said Turkey would not repeat the same “mistake” of allowing Greece to rejoin NATO’s military wing in 1980, claiming that Greece is trying to use NATO against Turkey, in a maritime dispute between the two countries, the Associated Press reports.
Turkey’s opposition comes one day after Finland’s president and prime minister said they support Finland applying to join NATO “without delay,” and in contrast with several European countries showing support for the move.
Key Background
Finland and Sweden have been conducting new security reviews following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said last month “the security landscape has completely changed” after February 24, the day Russia invaded. NATO is a 30-country alliance joined together by a security agreement that says “an attack against one ally is considered as an attack against all allies,” and requires NATO countries to provide military aid if a member country is attacked. Turkey and Greece joined NATO in 1952. Finland, which declared independence from Russia in 1917, shares an 810-mile border with the country. Russia invaded Finland in 1939 and sparked a year-long war that ended with Finland ceding 11% of its territory to Russia. Sweden has pledged to avoid military alliances for over 200 years, though an island in the Baltic Sea could be a vulnerable target if conflict broke out in the region.
What To Watch For
Sweden is expected to reveal its decision on whether it will apply to join the alliance on Sunday, the Associated Press reports. Finland’s foreign minister indicated last month Sweden could make its decision on joining NATO within days of Finland’s announcement. Sweden and Finland’s decision could be complicated by Turkey’s opposition, as all 30 NATO members must unanimously approve new countries.
Crucial Quote
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has repeatedly said he expects that “all allies will welcome” Sweden and Finland, if they choose to apply for membership. Stoltenberg has not publicly commented on Turkey’s claims, and a representative for NATO did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Forbes.
Further Reading
Europe Cheers As Finnish Leaders Back Joining NATO—As Russia Threatens Retaliation (Forbes)
Finland’s President And Prime Minister Announce Official Support For Joining NATO (Forbes)
Here’s Why Finland And Sweden Might Join NATO — And Why It Matters (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/annakaplan/2022/05/13/turkey-opposes-finland-and-sweden-joining-nato-erdogan-says/