Stoltenberg says that Finland and Sweden will join NATO
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has expressed confidence that Finland and Sweden will join the alliance, just days after Stockholm said it was doing everything it could to quell Turkey’s doubts about its membership.
The membership process usually takes years, he said, but in July all 30 members invited Finland and Sweden to join and signed accession protocols. Since then, 28 countries have approved the two countries’ applications, with the exception of Turkey and Hungary.
This was the fastest accession process in modern NATO history, Stoltenberg said.
He also played down the risk that Finland and Sweden could be attacked or pressured to join the alliance, saying the US and other allies have offered the two countries security guarantees until they become full members.
It is inconceivable that Finland and Sweden would face any military threat without a NATO response, Stoltenberg added.
Last month, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Sweden was not even halfway to fulfilling its obligations to Ankara. His statement came after a Swedish court ruled against the extradition of a journalist wanted by Turkish authorities on suspicion of involvement in a failed coup in 2016.
Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said that his country had fulfilled its obligations and that the decision was now up to Turkey.