Finland: Turkey has made decision regarding our NATO membership

Saul Niinsto said he will visit Istanbul this week to hear the decision by his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayip Erdogan.

The “Turks have hoped I would be there to accept the answer when they announce. Of course, I have accepted and will go to accept their response”, Niinsto said.

Erdogan has signaled that he will give the green light to Finland. He said Wednesday that “we will do our part, we will keep the promise we have given”.

On Friday, we will meet with the president [of Finland], we will do what it says the promise we have given”, he told reporters.

Ratification must officially pass through voting in Turkey's Parliament.

Finland, Sweden and Turkey reached a tripartite agreement in June last year. Turkey expressed its frustration over what it views as Sweden's failure to abide by the pledges of the agreement, while it has expressed its will for Finland to move towards membership in the Western military alliance.

Sweden's Prime Minister, Wolf Christersson, said Tuesday that the likelihood that Finland will join NATO before its state is “achieved in recent weeks”.

Finland and Sweden gave up the policy of military failure, and last May applied for NATO membership following the launch of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Ankara suspended negotiations with Sweden following a January protest held in Stockholm, where a Koran burned in front of the Turkish Embassy building. But, on 9 March, the two states resumed talks in Brussels.

Turkey has accused Sweden of becoming “stranged” for members of organisations Ankara considers terrorist.