Finland may consider a single offer of NATO membership as Turkey pressures Sweden: Minister | World news
Bloomberg | | Written by Ritu Maria Johny
Finland may have to reconsider whether together with Sweden to move towards membership in NATO after new objections to Sweden from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto.
The “primary option” remains for the two countries to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization at the same time, given security considerations from both Finland and Sweden, Haavisto said in an interview on YLE Tuesday.
– We must now assess the situation and see if something has happened that could block Sweden’s access to the alliance in the long term, says Haavisto. Still, it’s too early to make a decision now, he said.
It is the first time a Finnish decision-maker has signaled that the bids should be decoupled after the Nordic countries applied to join NATO in May. Turkey has opposed their entry, but allowed the process to go ahead at a NATO summit in June. It is later said that it is “satisfied” with the cooperation from Finland while continuing to pressure Sweden to crack down more forcefully against groups that are banned in Turkey.
Erdogan on Monday ruled out supporting Sweden’s application after a far-right activist burned Islam’s holy book in Stockholm at the weekend. Turkey and Hungary are the only two of NATO’s 30 members that have not yet ratified the applications. American officials on Monday reiterated their support for the Nordic bids.