Finnish President Sauli Niinistö is in Turkey to talk with his counterpart Erdogan about Finland joining NATO. The Finns want to join NATO with their neighbor Sweden. The outcome of the talks has already been determined, says Turkey correspondent Joost Lagendijk. “Erdogan and his government are likely to agree.”
It took Finland and Sweden a long time to join NATO together, but according to Lagendijk that doesn’t work with Turkey. Ankara opposes it because it believes Sweden hosts Kurdish terrorists. And Erdogan is eager to flex his muscles ahead of the May 14 Turkish presidential election. Finland and Sweden are no longer moving in tandem towards such membership, Lagendijk notes.
Enter Finland
‘The Finnish President’s visit is actually a kind of conclusion of this procedure. Erdogan is expected to announce at a joint press conference with his Finnish colleague on Friday that the Turkish parliament will approve Finland’s accession before the break, before April.’
“I think Sweden is anxiously awaiting the result of the Turkish presidential election.”
According to Lagendijk, Sweden has been trying for a while to stop a Finnish ‘Einzelgang’ by appealing for Scandinavian solidarity, but the country also understands why neighboring Finland is in a hurry to join NATO: after all, the country has a border of about 1,300 kilometers with Russia.
“Don’t forget that Finland has a border of more than 1300 kilometers with Russia”
Elections
According to Lagendijk, Sweden looks forward to the Turkish elections on May 14, although he thinks that even if Erdogan wins the election, he will allow Sweden to join the alliance. After all, then there will be the loot, the presidency, and there will no longer be a need to present yourself to the electorate as the strong statesman who keeps even mighty NATO on a tight leash. “Sweden, whoever is president, is expected to become a member after May 14 and before the NATO summit in July.”
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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.
