Turkey clears way for Finland's NATO accession, without Sweden

Turkey's President, Rexhep Tayip Erdogan after several months of blockade, has given the go-ahead for Finland's NATO membership, but without Sweden.

During a visit by Finnish President Saul Niinistö, Erdogan gave the green light for the step. Erdogan said in Ankara that he would launch the procedure for ratification in parliament.

Finland's accession could be ratified before the elections in Turkey on May 14th. Finland and Sweden ten months ago under the shadow of Russia's offensive war on Ukraine applied for NATO membership. 28 of the alliance's 30 member states have ratified membership protocols, only Hungary and Turkey have not yet taken that step.

Ankara blocked memberships, among other things, referring to insufficient fight against “terrorist organisations” in the aspiring countries for membership. With this Turkey primarily refers to the Kurdish working party, which is banned and declared by Ankara as a terrorist organisation. The reserves mainly concern Sweden, where its supporters are sheltered.

That Erdogan would accept Finland before Sweden was increasingly anticipated in the countries of northern Europe. Sweden's Prime Minister Wolf Christersson said on Wednesday (16.03.23) during a visit to Berlin at a meeting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz that his country was prepared for this option, even though it would have preferred to join Finland simultaneously./ DW