Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin speaks to Rudaw on April 1, 2023. Photo: Rudaw
HELSINKI - Finland’s accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will make the military alliance stronger, Finland’s prime minister said on Saturday after Turkey cleared the last obstacle earlier this week.
"It's only a matter of days where Finland becomes a member of NATO. We will strengthen the whole alliance. We have very strong military forces in Finland, we have many capabilities and we will strengthen NATO even further,” Prime Minister Sanna Marin told Rudaw’s Znar Shino.
Finland and Sweden last year submitted bids to join NATO after Russia invaded Ukraine. Expansion of the military alliance must be unanimous and the Nordic nations’ bids were stalled after Turkey raised objections, accusing them of being havens for “terrorists.”
Ankara asked Helsinki and Stockholm to take several measures to crackdown on “terrorists,” mainly alleged members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) that Turkey has labeled a terrorist organization, before it would lift its objections.
The Turkish parliament on Thursday voted to ratify Finland’s accession. Sweden’s membership in the alliance, however, remains unsecured. Sweden has a large and active Kurdish population.
Marin advocated for Sweden joining Finland in NATO, saying “I think Finland and also Sweden are valuable members of NATO in the future."
"It's only a matter of days where Finland becomes a member of NATO. We will strengthen the whole alliance. We have very strong military forces in Finland, we have many capabilities and we will strengthen NATO even further,” Prime Minister Sanna Marin told Rudaw’s Znar Shino.
Finland and Sweden last year submitted bids to join NATO after Russia invaded Ukraine. Expansion of the military alliance must be unanimous and the Nordic nations’ bids were stalled after Turkey raised objections, accusing them of being havens for “terrorists.”
Ankara asked Helsinki and Stockholm to take several measures to crackdown on “terrorists,” mainly alleged members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) that Turkey has labeled a terrorist organization, before it would lift its objections.
The Turkish parliament on Thursday voted to ratify Finland’s accession. Sweden’s membership in the alliance, however, remains unsecured. Sweden has a large and active Kurdish population.
Marin advocated for Sweden joining Finland in NATO, saying “I think Finland and also Sweden are valuable members of NATO in the future."
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