Finland’s top diplomat hints at joining NATO without Sweden
STOCKHOLM (AP) — Finland’s top diplomat appeared to suggest Tuesday that the country may have to join NATO without Sweden after Turkey’s president cast doubt on expanding the military alliance.
– We still have to evaluate the situation if it turns out that Sweden’s application will stand still for a long time to come, says Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto to the Finnish TV company YLE.
His comments came a day after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Sweden not to expect support for its NATO membership bid following weekend protests in Stockholm by anti-Islam activist and pro-Kurdish groups.
Sweden and Finland’s historic bid to join the alliance requires the approval of all existing NATO members, including Turkey, which has so far blocked the expansion and says Sweden in particular must crack down on exiled Kurdish militants and their sympathizers.
So far, Sweden and Finland have committed to joining the alliance, but Haavisto’s comment appeared to suggest that Finland was considering moving forward without its Nordic neighbor.
Sweden’s foreign minister Tobias Billström told YLE that “we are in contact with Finland to find out what is really meant.”