Sweden and Finland's NATO accession falters: Germany dampens expectations - "no catastrophe"

Created: 06/20/2022, 14:35

By: Kathrin Reikowski

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan opposes Finland and Sweden joining NATO.

© Yves Herman/Pool Reuters/AP/dpa

Before the NATO summit, Sweden and Finland are being wrestled with: the two countries are in talks with Turkey.

Germany dampens expectations.

• It is still uncertain whether Finland and Sweden will join NATO: Turkey is blocking accession.

• NATO summit in Madrid: The heads of state and government of the NATO countries meet at the end of June.

• Germany is putting the brakes on expectations in advance: it is not yet decided whether Sweden and Finland will join NATO.

• This

  news ticker on Sweden's and Finland's NATO accession plans

  is constantly updated.

Berlin - Will Turkey give in to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the NATO summit in Madrid - and pave the way for Finland and Sweden to join NATO?

The German government is dampening expectations a week before the start of the summit.

The background: As a NATO member, Turkey is currently blocking the admission of Sweden and Finland, which all 30 NATO countries must agree to.

Ankara has accused Sweden and Finland of harboring the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), also labeled a "terrorist organization" by its western allies.

Due to the escalated Ukraine conflict, both Sweden and Finland have applied to join the military alliance.

Finland and Sweden joining NATO: "No catastrophe if we need a few more weeks"

Now the German federal government is dampening hopes that Turkey will give in quickly: In view of the "historic dimension" of the admission of both countries, it would "not be a catastrophe if we needed a few more weeks for it," said a government representative in Berlin on Monday.

Germany continues to support Finland's and Sweden's application for membership and is apparently also counting on actual membership being achieved.

The federal government is building on "that a good solution will be found in the not too distant future," it said at the federal press conference.

One builds on a "constructive dialogue between the two countries".

Finland and Sweden join NATO: Representatives speak with Turkey in Brussels on Monday

According to information from the US broadcaster CNN, there were already new talks between representatives of Turkey, Sweden and Finland on Monday.

In the course of this, a spokesman for the Turkish government, Ibrahim Kalin, said that the admission process could not continue without concrete measures from Finland and Sweden.

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The USA and Germany see the application for membership more as a formality.

The government spokesman in Berlin also said on Monday: From a German point of view, there are "no insurmountable difficulties" that stand in the way of Finland and Sweden's admission.

Berlin is therefore "very confident that a solution can be found".

(AFP/kat)