In Madrid, the first day of the NATO summit has been very fruitful with ending the hurdle of NATO expansion on Tuesday. After the summit, the Finnish president announced that Turkey has now agreed to support Finland and Sweden in their bid for NATO membership.
The decision took after the discussions and an agreement was also signed between the three countries which mutually respects the security of the three nations. The signed joint memorandum noted, “to extend their full support against threats to each other security.”
Turkey had been holding up the NATO bid of Sweden and Finland as Turkey alleged these Scandinavian countries support Kurdish militia. In the discussion on Turkey’s veto on membership in NATO, Sweden and Finland assured Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Turkish national security.
NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said after the agreement, “We now have an agreement that paves the way for Finland & Sweden to join NATO. I thank Presidents Erdogan & Niinisto & Swedish PM for the constructive spirit that made this historic decision possible.”
Jen Stoltenberg also said that NATO leaders will be formally inviting Finland and Sweden to join Military Alliance on Wednesday, AFP reported.
Earlier on Tuesday, Finnish foreign minister, Anderson Linde told AFP that, we have forwarded progress. That is definitely the situation. She also said that we are preparing to do something positive today, but it takes time. She added that We must be patient and carry on discussion even after the summit.
The two countries had applied in hand for the NATO membership together in May after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as earlier Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson had said, there is a seismic shift in Europe’s security architecture after the invasion.
Both countries earlier had a neutral stand in the cold war era, but after changing the geopolitical and security situation in northern Europe both received backing from their Scandinavian neighbours- Denmark and Norway, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Spain, France and US after the assurance meeting between President Joe Biden and Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson.
READ MORE- Sweden and Finland join NATO after Turkey lifts objection; Greece satisfied with the outcome
