Turkey Could Block NATO Membership for Finland, Sweden

by | May 13, 2022

Turkey Could Block NATO Membership for Finland, Sweden

by | May 13, 2022

recep tayyip erdogan (2020 03 05) 02

Mikhail Klimentyev / Russian Presidential Press And Information Office / TASS

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s sole Asian member has suggested it could bar two Nordic countries from entering the alliance. 

On Thursday, leaders in Helsinki said Finland would apply for NATO membership “without delay.” Since Russia invaded Ukraine in late February, both Finland and neighboring Sweden have increasingly discussed joining the western military bloc. Stockholm is expected to follow Helsinki’s application sometime in the coming days. 

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has previously said that both nations would be “very much welcomed by all 30 allies,” even suggesting their membership could be expedited. In April, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also declared that the White House “strongly supported” membership for the Nordic states. 

On Friday, however, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Ankara couldn’t support the move, claiming that Finland and Sweden are “home to many terrorist organizations.” He added: “We are following the developments regarding Sweden and Finland, but we don’t hold positive views.”

For a country to join NATO, it must have unanimous support from all other members. Erdogan said his country regrets approving Greek membership after it rejoined the alliance in the 1980s, deeming it a “mistake.” Ankara and Athens have a number of ongoing territorial disputes, and even fought a war over Cyprus in 1974. 

The Turkish leader did not elaborate on his claims regarding terrorist cells active in Finland or Sweden, though he may have been referring to Kurdish groups which have clashed with Turkish forces in both Syria and Turkey itself. Western support for Kurdish militant factions in Syria has created tensions with Ankara for nearly a decade. 

Responding to Erdogan’s comments, Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto called for patience and a step-by-step process as Helsinki presses its NATO bid, adding that he would meet with his Turkish counterpart Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu on Sunday to discuss the issue further. Sweden, for its part, said it remains confident it will secure backing from all NATO members to join the bloc, despite the Turkish resistance.

Kyle Anzalone and Will Porter

Kyle Anzalone and Will Porter

Kyle Anzalone is the opinion editor of Antiwar.com and news editor of the Libertarian Institute.

Will Porter is the assistant news editor of the Libertarian Institute and a staff writer and editor at RT.

Kyle Anzalone and Will Porter host Conflicts of Interest along with Connor Freeman.

View all posts

Our Books

Shop books published by the Libertarian Institute.

libetarian institute longsleeve shirt

Support via Amazon Smile

Our Books

15 books

Recent Articles

Recent

News Roundup 12/19/2024

News Roundup 12/19/2024

US News Uhuru Members Will Face No Prison Time Over Bogus Foreign Agent Allegations AWC Senate Passes Massive $895 Billion National Defense Authorization Act AWC Ukraine Ukrainian Intelligence Kills Senior Russian General in Moscow Bombing AWC Israel Israeli Defense...

read more
News Roundup 12/17/2024

News Roundup 12/17/2024

Ukraine Trump Suggests He Could End US-Supported Long-Range Strikes on Russia AWC Israel Israeli Attacks Kill 52 More Palestinians in Gaza Over 24 Hours AWC Israeli and Hamas Officials Say a Hostage Deal Is Close AWC Syria After Syria Regime Change, Conflicting...

read more
News Roundup 12/16/2024

News Roundup 12/16/2024

Ukraine Orban Says Zelensky Rejected Proposal for a Christmas Truce AWC Trump Says He ‘Vehemently’ Disagrees With US-Backed Long-Range Missile Strikes on Russia AWC  France, Poland Discuss Sending Troops To Monitor Future Ukraine Ceasefire AWC NATO Chief Calls for...

read more

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This