Leader says that Turkey opposes Finland and Sweden joining NATO – The Durango Herald
A report from the Swedish government on the changed security environment that the Nordic country is facing after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine says that Moscow would react negatively to Sweden joining NATO and taking several countermeasures.
HELSINKI (AP) – A report from the Swedish government on the changed security environment that the Nordic country is facing after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine says that Moscow would react negatively to Sweden joining NATO and initiating several countermeasures.
Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday that his country was “not in favor” of Finland and Sweden joining the alliance. As a NATO member, Turkey can veto measures to allow the two countries.
“We are following developments in Sweden and Finland closely, but we are not of a positive opinion,” Erdogan told reporters.
The Swedish government’s security policy analysis, which will be used as a basis for Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson’s government to decide whether to apply for membership in the Western military alliance, was presented to Swedish legislators on Friday.
The report points to a number of benefits of joining NATO – most notably the collective security provided by the 30-member military alliance. At the same time, it lists many tactics that Russia is likely to take in retaliation.
These would include cyber and various types of hybrid attacks, violations of Swedish airspace or territorial seas. Other aggressive behavior, including strategic signaling with nuclear weapons, is also conceivable from Moscow, the report states.
The report states that Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine limits the possibilities for attacks against other countries, but that Russia still has the capacity for a limited number of hostile measures against countries such as Sweden.
The report makes no recommendations on whether Sweden should join NATO or not. Sweden’s Foreign Minister Ann Linde told the Riksdag’s legislator that “an armed attack on Sweden can not be ruled out” and pointed to the security guarantee that a NATO membership would offer.
The President and Prime Minister of the Nordic neighboring country Finland said on Thursday that they are in favor of quickly applying for membership in NATO, which paves the way for the country to formally announce the membership application in the coming days.
Sweden’s ruling Social Democratic party, led by Andersson, will decide its NATO stance on Sunday.