Finland, Sweden promise to join NATO together in united front against Turkey
HELSINGFORS, Oct 28 (Reuters) – Finland and Sweden will join NATO at the same time, their prime ministers said on Friday, presenting a united front to Turkey that has raised questions about both their applications.
The Nordic neighbors asked to join the alliance in May in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but faced objections from Turkey, which accused the two of harboring groups it considers terrorists.
Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said on Friday that Turkey’s president had told her that he had more questions for Sweden than for her country. But she said she would not leave Sweden behind in the process.
“It is of course very important for us that Finland and Sweden join NATO hand in hand,” Marin told reporters at a joint press conference in Helsinki with his Swedish counterpart.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said as recently as October 6 that his country still opposed Sweden’s bid.
Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, who took office last week, said: “We have taken every step, so far, hand in hand and none of us has any other ambition.”
He said he would meet Erdogan soon. “It is completely legitimate for Turkey to receive confirmation that Sweden is doing what Sweden has committed to do within the framework of the agreement,” he added.
The Aftonbladet daily quoted sources on Friday as saying that Turkey had invited Kristersson to a bilateral meeting in Ankara, probably on November 8.
Kristersson’s press spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Reporting by Anne Kauranen in Helsinki and Simon Johnson in Stockholm Editing by Anna Ringström and Andrew Heavens
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