Finland and Sweden join NATO - Erdogan appeals to partners
Created: 05/18/2022Updated: 05/18/2022 13:48
By: Daniel Dillman
Sweden and Finland apply for NATO membership.
But Turkey wants to veto it.
The news ticker.
Finland and Sweden want to join:
Both countries officially apply for membership in NATO.
Resistance to NATO expansion:
In addition to Turkey, there is also criticism of the defense alliance's course in Germany.
Accession timetable:
Five steps are necessary before a country can join NATO.
++ 1:50 p.m .:
Recep Tayyip Erdogan has again spoken out against the inclusion of Finland and Sweden in NATO.
The Turkish President appealed to the other member states of the military alliance to "take Ankara's reservations seriously".
Support is expected from the other NATO states, Erdogan told the Turkish parliament on Wednesday (18 May).
Finland and Sweden will join NATO - Jens Stoltenberg is confident
Update, 12:53 p.m .:
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg sees Sweden and Finland’s application to join the military alliance as positive.
"I very much welcome Finland's and Sweden's applications to join NATO," Stoltenberg told media representatives.
"They are our closest partners and their membership in NATO will enhance our common security."
Recep Tayyip Erdogan has renewed his reservations about Finland and Sweden joining NATO in front of the Turkish parliament in Ankara.
© Adem Altan/afp
With regard to Turkey, which has not yet given its approval, Stoltenberg said: "We have to take into account the security interests of all member states." However, NATO will talk about the open issues together and "reach a quick agreement".
Finland and Sweden join NATO - applications submitted
First report:
Berlin - The NATO northern expansion is taking on concrete features.
The governments of Finland and Sweden have now officially applied for membership in the defense alliance.
The Baltic states are in favour, as are Great Britain and the USA.
On behalf of the federal government, Olaf Scholz (SPD) reaffirms German support for the accession of the two Scandinavian countries.
But there is also criticism of NATO's course.
It mainly comes from Turkey.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced his veto against Sweden and Finland joining NATO.
Both countries would harbor terrorists, thereby jeopardizing the security of the alliance.
It remains to be seen whether Erdogan is serious about his refusal or whether he just wants to win bargaining chips, which will then result in concessions for Turkey.
However, the Turkish ruler is not the only critical voice in the matter of NATO expansion.
Anti-NATO Congress in Berlin: "Putin understanders and twisters of facts"
A group from Germany is fundamentally opposed to the alliance.
As the editorial network Germany (RND) reports, an “anti-NATO congress” will take place in Berlin this Saturday (May 21).
The event is officially called "Living without NATO - Ideas for Peace".
In the invitation, from which the RND quotes, Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine is condemned, but not only Russian President Vladimir Putin is held responsible.
The West has also contributed to the escalation of the Ukraine conflict.
The list of participants in the congress reads "like a who's who of Putin understanders and twisted facts," said the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Bundestag to the RND.
In addition to representatives of the Left Party, there are also a few Greens at the start, as well as well-known names such as Oskar Lafontaine.
The leaders of the SPD, Greens and Left all distanced themselves from Congress.
Joining NATO: five steps to membership
So while in Berlin people are railing against Finland and Sweden joining NATO, negotiations are already underway in Brussels.
A total of five steps are necessary before the inclusion of further countries can be completed.
1. Representatives of the NATO countries meet in Brussels and discuss whether a candidate meets the political, military and legal requirements.
2. The candidate sends a formal application for membership to NATO.
3. NATO prepares the admission protocols for the respective country.
4. All NATO countries must sign the admission protocols.
5. If all NATO states agree to the admission, the NATO Secretary General informs the candidate about his admission to the defense alliance.
(Daniel Dillman)
