NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg is visiting Finland today. He will speak there with Finnish Prime Minister Marin, President Niinistö and Foreign Minister Haavisto, among others. Finland’s parliament is voting today on legislation to pave the way for NATO membership. “Finland really wants to hurry up,” says European journalist Stefan de Vries.
According to De Vries, many Finnish MPs want the matter resolved before the Finnish elections. “The debate on this will take place today, it will be voted on tomorrow and the proposal will likely be adopted by a large majority.”
The Finns will vote on the legal framework for NATO membership, says De Vries. This means that as soon as NATO member states ratify Finland’s membership, Finland will be able to join. “It’s a way to act faster.”
‘Finland really wants to hurry, with or without Sweden. The majority of Finns want to continue, even without Sweden.’ Because Turkey is still obstructive and blocks Sweden’s accession because the country hosts what Ankara calls Kurdish terrorists. Talks between Sweden and Turkey will be held in Brussels next month. But that Finland will soon become a member is out of the question for De Vries.
The enfant terrible Orban
However, not only Turkish President Erdogan opposes Sweden’s accession, Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orbán is also difficult about it. Orbán, increasingly seen by many EU member states as the EU’s enfant terrible, is on good terms with Russian President Vladimir Putin and would prefer not to offend his main energy supplier. Hungary is also against arms transfers to Ukraine.
‘Finland really wants to hurry, with or without Sweden’
While Orbán’s party is largely in favor of new NATO members joining, Orbán said some lawmakers are not enthusiastic. “It looks like a delaying tactic to put pressure on the EU again,” says De Vries. In the background, after all, one factor is that the EU is withholding large sums of money from Hungary because the country does not behave in accordance with EU standards, for example in the area of the rule of law.
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Source: BNR
Sharon Rock is an author and journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. She has a passion for learning about different cultures and understanding the complexities of the world. With a talent for explaining complex global issues in an accessible and engaging way, Sharon has become a respected voice in the field of world news journalism.
