“Greece welcomes the historic decision of Finland and Sweden to apply to join NATO,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.
On May 18, Sweden and Finland jointly presented their candidates to join NATO. O decision Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said at a joint press conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinistö in Stockholm on May 17:
“The addition of two additional European partners, with deep-rooted democratic traditions and respect for international law to the NATO family, will further strengthen Europe’s collective security, our unity and the consolidation of common values,” the statement says. message.
“We look forward to a speedy completion of the accession process and look forward to working with both countries as new NATO allies,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Washington welcomes Finland and Sweden’s NATO membership bids, US President Joe Biden said in a statement Wednesday: “I warmly welcome and strongly support the historic NATO membership bids of Finland and Sweden, and I look forward to working with the US Congress and our NATO allies to quickly bring Finland and Sweden into the strongest defense alliance in history.”
He noted that Sweden and Finland had made an important decision to seek NATO membership, and did so “after careful and inclusive democratic processes in each country.” According to Biden, “by joining NATO, they will strengthen our cooperation in the field of defense.”
On May 18, Sweden and Finland jointly presented their candidates to join NATO. O decision Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said at a joint press conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinistö in Stockholm on May 17:
“Sweden and Finland have agreed to move hand in hand through this whole process and tomorrow we are going to apply for NATO membership together. This is a strong signal that we will be united in the future.”
Both countries want to cross the threshold of NATO as soon as possible. On Tuesday, Sauli Niinistö told the Swedish parliament, during his visit to Stockholm, that he is optimistic and hopes that both Finland and Sweden will be able to enlist the support of Ankara, despite objections from her side:
“I am confident that through constructive negotiations the situation will be resolved.”
Dmitry Medvedev, former President of Russia and longtime ally of Vladimir Putin, formerly reacted to the news that Finland and Sweden are even closer to joining NATO: “The conflict could escalate into a nuclear war.”
Turkey may reconsider its position on NATO membership of Sweden and Finland if they meet five basic conditions.
As the Turkish newspaper “Turkies” reports, the Turkish authorities insist on the following points:
- Extradition of members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party and the FETO organization (followers of the Western-based opposition leader Gülen).
- Recognizing as terrorist the Syrian National Self-Defense Forces, which Ankara considers affiliated with the PKK.
- Cessation of support for FETO representatives, which the Turkish authorities accuse of involvement in the preparation of the coup in 2016.
- Disclosure of all organizations associated with structures that Turkey associates with terrorists. Provision of appropriate guarantees.
- According to the newspaper, Ankara will not make concessions on any of the points.
Note that it will be extremely difficult for the Finns and Swedes to fulfill all these points from the image point of view. Also, this will be actively opposed by the United States, which sheltered Gülen and refuse to extradite him to Turkey. However, the likelihood that the conditions will acceptedvery high.
“Sweden and Finland have agreed to move hand in hand through this whole process and tomorrow we are going to apply for NATO membership together. This is a strong signal that we will be united in the future.”
Both countries want to cross the threshold of NATO as soon as possible. On Tuesday, Sauli Niinistö told the Swedish parliament, during his visit to Stockholm, that he is optimistic and hopes that both Finland and Sweden will be able to enlist the support of Ankara, despite objections from her side:
“I am confident that through constructive negotiations the situation will be resolved.”
Dmitry Medvedev, former President of Russia and longtime ally of Vladimir Putin, formerly reacted to the news that Finland and Sweden are even closer to joining NATO: “The conflict could escalate into a nuclear war.”
Turkey may reconsider its position on NATO membership of Sweden and Finland if they meet five basic conditions.
As the Turkish newspaper “Turkies” reports, the Turkish authorities insist on the following points:
- Extradition of members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party and the FETO organization (followers of the Western-based opposition leader Gülen).
- Recognizing as terrorist the Syrian National Self-Defense Forces, which Ankara considers affiliated with the PKK.
- Cessation of support for FETO representatives, which the Turkish authorities accuse of involvement in the preparation of the coup in 2016.
- Disclosure of all organizations associated with structures that Turkey associates with terrorists. Provision of appropriate guarantees.
- According to the newspaper, Ankara will not make concessions on any of the points.
Note that it will be extremely difficult for the Finns and Swedes to fulfill all these points from the image point of view. Also, this will be actively opposed by the United States, which sheltered Gülen and refuse to extradite him to Turkey. However, the likelihood that the conditions will acceptedvery high.
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