Finland could continue course of NATO membership without Sweden

The two Nordic countries -- Finland and Sweden -- called for NATO membership immediately after the Russian invasion of Ukraine last year, and since most member states have ratified the applications of the two countries, Turkey opposes Sweden's candidacy.

Turkey's President, Recep Tayip Erdogan, said in late January that Ankara could accept Finland's membership without Sweden.

Facing April elections, most political parties in Finland said they want parliament to vote on treaties before March. This was discussed behind the doors closed Friday at the Finnish Parliament's Foreign Affairs Commission.

Discussions will continue next week, but progress has been made, said of the public broadcaster Yle, chairman of the commission, Jussi Halla-Aho of the True Finns party.

The “is forming a consensus and I believe there will be agreement”, he said.

The legislation should be submitted by late February 20th if parliament is to vote before the elections.

But the biggest dilemma is whether Finland should continue its next steps towards membership without Sweden, or should host the neighbouring state.

“There is a clear view on the commission that our common will is for Finnish and Swedish NATO bids to advance at the same time, but this is not an issue that is fully in our hands”, the chairman of the commission said.

Finland's Justice Chancellor, Tuomas Poyst, said Finland has little room to wait for Sweden if necessary, but not indefinitely.

Turkey has been a member of the alliance as a veto state and has indefinitely postponed membership talks.

Ankara has refused to ratify these two states' NATO applications, primarily due to Sweden's refusal to extradite dozens of suspects, which Turkey claims are linked to Kurdish fighters and to the failed license of 2016.

Sweden has larger Kurdish diaspora than Finland and has more disagreements with Ankara.

Ankara has also expressed outrage at the Swedish police's decision to allow a protest, where a right-wing extremist burned a copy of the Koran before the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm earlier this month.

Similarly, Turkey has expressed outrage over the Swedish judiciary's decision that has not filed charges against a pro-Kurdish group that upside down a manec like Erdogan in front of a court building in Stockholm.

Sweden is Finland's closest defence ally. In the event of a conflict with Russia, with which Finland shares a 1,300km NATO border, it would need Swedish territory to help Finland defend itself. / REL