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NATO bids and vetoes
Finland and Sweden submitted their requests to join NATO on May 18, with the article describing their move as a response to concern among their populations about the war waged by Russia against Ukraine.
“Finland and Sweden submitted their requests to join NATO on May 18”
The same source says Vladimir Putin threatened to retaliate against arms supplies to Ukraine by deploying infantry and anti-aircraft systems in northwestern Russia, and naval forces in the Gulf of Finland, or, worse, to atomize the major European capitals from the Kaliningrad enclave with the Sarmat missile.
It also quotes Vladimir Putin saying on May 16, “Such an enlargement of NATO does not constitute an immediate threat,” but adds that he said “the deployment of military infrastructure on the territories of these countries will, of course, trigger a response.”
The article frames Turkey’s position as a key obstacle, quoting Recep Tayyip Erdogan on May 13 that Sweden and Finland’s NATO membership would be “a mistake,” and adding that he accused Stockholm and Helsinki “of harboring terrorists” from the PKK and the YPG.
Turkey blocks, then lifts
Ahead of the NATO summit in Turkey, DIE WELT reports that websites and even an article from the left-leaning newspaper Sol were blocked online, citing national security and public order.
It says a court blocked the site named 'NatoDefol' and also ordered the blocking of an article from 'Sol', and that residents in Ankara had to expect restrictions during the NATO summit in early July, including that concerts were prohibited and street dogs were collected.
H24info reports that Turkey approved Finland's accession to NATO on Thursday after ten months of suspense, with Turkish deputies unanimously voting from the 276 deputies present to admit Finland while Sweden remained at the door.
The same source says Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the lifting of his veto on March 17 after receiving Finland's president Sauli Niinistö in Ankara, and that Finland now only has to send its 'instruments of ratification' to Washington where the Alliance treaty is kept.
What happens next
Radio-Canada says Ankara ultimately lifted its veto on Tuesday, avoiding a setback for the Alliance as it opened its summit in Madrid, and it reports that NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said there is an agreement that paves the way for Finland's and Sweden's entry into NATO.
“Turkey approved on Thursday, after ten months of suspense, Finland's accession to NATO, the last country in the Alliance to grant its green light after Hungary”
It adds that in a White House statement, U.S. President Joe Biden congratulated Turkey, Finland, and Sweden on signing this agreement, and that the formal entry of the two countries must be ratified by the parliaments of the 30 NATO member states.
The article also states that Turkey blocked Sweden's and Finland's accession, accusing them of harboring militants from the Kurdish PKK organization, and it says Stoltenberg described that under the agreement the two Nordic countries pledged to strengthen cooperation with Ankara in the fight against terrorism and to agree on the extradition of members of Kurdish organizations that Turkey regards as terrorists.
In parallel, Moov.Mg reports that Finland said it does not wish to join NATO without its neighbor Sweden, with Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto saying, “Our great wish has been and remains to join with Sweden,” while he also pointed to the NATO summit in Vilnius on July 11-12 as an important milestone.
