Finland and Sweden have committed to joint NATO membership, say the prime ministers
HELSINGFORS, Feb 2 (Reuters) – Finland and Sweden remain committed to joining NATO at the same time despite Turkey’s opposition to the Swedish candidacy, the two countries’ prime ministers said at a joint press conference in Stockholm on Thursday.
Turkey has said it could approve Finland’s application for NATO membership ahead of Sweden’s, but the Finnish president and foreign minister have both rejected this idea, arguing that the security of the two Nordic countries is interdependent.
“I don’t like this atmosphere, the position where Sweden is portrayed as a kind of problem child in the classroom. I don’t think that’s the case,” said Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin.
“Sweden also ticks all the boxes needed to become a member of NATO,” she added.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said his country continued to adhere to a trilateral agreement on NATO accession signed last year between Sweden, Finland and Turkey.
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“We embarked on this journey together and we are making the journey towards membership together,” Kristersson said, referring to Sweden’s and Finland’s efforts to join the military alliance.
Reporting by Essi Lehto, editing by Terje Solsvik
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