Sweden’s PM says Finland likely to join NATO first

Turkey accuses both Finland and Sweden, but particularly Sweden, of being too soft on groups it deems to be terror organisations or existential threats to Turkey

Sweden's Prime Minister acknowledged on March 14 that it is increasingly likely that neighbour Finland will join NATO before his country does, due to Turkey's opposition to the Swedish bid.

Ulf Kristersson said during a news conference in Stockholm on Tuesday that it has been clear since NATO’s Madrid summit in June that Finland’s road into membership has been smoother than Sweden’s, and that it is now increasingly likely that Finland will enter NATO first.

Turkey accuses both nations, but particularly Sweden, of being too soft on groups it deems to be terror organisations or existential threats to Turkey, including Kurdish groups. Last month, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Ankara has fewer problems with Finland joining.

Since they announced their intention to join the military alliance in May last year, Finland and Sweden have consistently stressed that they would become members of the military alliance at the same time “hand in hand”.

Now, however, Mr. Kristersson told reporters, “it’s not out of the question that Sweden and Finland will be ratified in different stages”.

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All 30 existing members of NATO have to approve a new member. They all signed the accession protocols for Finland and Sweden last year, and 28 of them have ratified the texts for both countries. Hungarian lawmakers earlier this month started debating the Nordic duo’s membership bids and Budapest may ratify them by the end of March, leaving Turkey as the final holdout. It says it is still seeking guarantees and assurances from the two countries.