Turkey has dropped its opposition to Finland and Sweden joining NATO in a deal that would address security threats in the regions, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said.
The three countries' foreign ministers signed a memorandum confirming that Turkey will express its support for Finland and Sweden joining the Western alliance. The signing was made during a summit in Madrid this week, said Finnish President Sauli Niinisto in a statement.
NATO Memorandum
Niinisto said, "Our joint memorandum underscores the commitment of Finland, Sweden, and Turkey to extend their full support against threats to each other's security." He added that the two countries joining NATO will further strengthen the commitment.
The push to include Finland and Sweden in the alliance comes amid Russia's continuous assault on Ukraine and how it has stoked fear of other countries in the region. For a long time, Moscow has been wary of NATO expanding its reach and has opposed the two nations' plans to join the Western alliance, as per CNBC.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan previously expressed his opposition to the two countries joining NATO. He cited their support for Kurdish organizations that his country considered to be security threats.
The objection came as all 30 members of the Western alliance must approve of a country's application for membership to be accepted into NATO. Stoltenberg, last week, said that he was working to add Finland and Sweden into the alliance's ranks "as soon as possible."
According to CNN, allied leaders will decide on Wednesday whether or not to invite Finland and Sweden to join NATO, Stoltenberg said, adding that after the decision, a ratification process will take place in all NATO capitals.
The alliance's chief also said that following the signing of the trilateral memorandum, he was "confident" that Finland and Sweden becoming NATO members is "something that will take place."
Finland and Sweden
The situation comes as United States President Joe Biden and Erdogan previously spoke on the phone ahead of the summit and are expected to meet on Wednesday. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said that they were expecting the meeting between the two presidents to have a chance to talk.
Biden arrived in Spain on Tuesday for the NATO summit that was expected to focus on bolstering the alliance's defense posture along its eastern flank. This includes ramping up troop levels and positioning heavy equipment, as Western leaders contemplate the next phase of the Russia-Ukraine war.
The deal comes as Finland and Sweden have been militarily non-aligned for many years before deciding to apply for NATO membership due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. On the other hand, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned both countries of their decision, but his threats proved to be counterproductive.
The controversy surrounding the NATO membership comes as Finland and Sweden bring geostrategic benefits to the Western alliance. Finland shares an 830-mile border with Russia and has a well-equipped modern army while Sweden can control the entrance to the Baltic Sea, which would severely help NATO defend the more vulnerable countries in Eastern Europe, the New York Times reported.
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