Finland’s, Sweden’s, and Turkey’s foreign ministers will meet in Berlin on Saturday to resolve differences over Finland’s and Sweden’s plans to join NATO, as the alliance meets against the backdrop of the Ukraine conflict.
In reaction to what they regard as a fundamentally altered security environment as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Nordic states are preparing to ask for membership in the 30-strong transatlantic alliance. Moscow has threatened retaliation, and NATO member Turkey has raised misgivings.
As he arrived in Berlin, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told reporters that it was ‘unacceptable and outrageous’ that potential new NATO members supported the PKK Kurdish militant group, thereby hindering NATO’s enlargement.
‘The issue is that these two countries openly support and collaborate with the PKK and the YPG. These are terrorist organisations who assault our troops on a daily basis,’ he added Cavusoglu would meet with his Swedish and Finnish counterparts on Saturday evening.
‘A large majority of Turkish citizens oppose such nations’ participation… and want us to block that membership,’ he stated.
Pekka Haavesto, Finland’s foreign minister, expressed confidence that a solution will be reached in the end. Ann Linde, Sweden’s foreign minister, told Swedish news agency TT that she will try to clear up any misunderstandings.
Both Nordic nations have been promised a warm welcome and a quick accession process by NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, but Turkey unexpectedly threw a monkey in the works on Friday.
Stoltenberg, who is unable to attend the Berlin meeting due to a positive COVID test, spoke on the phone with several of the ministers prior to the start of the meetings, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the foreign ministers of Turkey, Finland, and Sweden.
On Friday, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said that he couldn’t accept the Nordic nations’ intentions since they were ‘home to many terrorist organisations,’ but his spokesperson told Reuters on Saturday that Turkey had not closed the door.
Allies will also look into security assurances for Finland and Sweden during a ratification phase that may last up to a year, during which time the Nordic countries will not be protected by NATO’s article 5, which states that an assault on one member is an attack on all allies.
They will also examine the military situation on the ground and their assistance to Ukraine’s military, as well as discuss a first draught of NATO’s new strategic concept, or core military doctrine, which will be agreed upon at a leaders summit in Madrid at the end of June.
‘I believe (Russian President Vladimir) Putin should examine himself in the mirror. You get back what you put in,’ Melanie Joly, Canada’s foreign minister, said she was sure that a deal would be made for Finland and Sweden to join the alliance.
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