Turkey, Finland and Sweden sign agreement paving the way for NATO membership of Nordic countries
Turkey has agreed to support Sweden and Finland’s bid to join the Western alliance after the three nations agreed to protect each other’s security.
“We now have an agreement that paves the way for Finland and Sweden to join NATO,” alliance Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said following top-level talks.
Turkish presidency said it “got what it wanted” from the talks with Sweden and Finland talks.
“Finland and Sweden commit to preventing activities of the PKK and all other terrorist organizations and their extensions, as well as activities by individuals in affiliated and inspired groups or networks linked to these terrorist organizations,” the memorandum said, adding that Finland and Sweden will address Turkey’s pending deportation or extradition requests of terror suspects expeditiously.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Finnish President Sauli Niinistö and Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson signed met in Madrid on June 28 under the auspices of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
The foreign ministers of the three countries, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu of Türkiye, Pekka Haavisto of Finland, and Ann Linde of Sweden signed the memorandum in the presence of all three national leaders, and NATO Secretary General.
Stoltenberg said he welcomes the signing of this trilateral memorandum, and the constructive approach all three countries have shown during the negotiations. “Finnish and Swedish membership of NATO is good for Finland and Sweden, it is good for NATO, and it is good for European security.”