Finland PM urges Turkey, Hungary to ratify Swedish, Finnish NATO membership

Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin urged Turkey and Hungary to approve Sweden and Finland’s applications to join the NATO alliance. This comes as the two countries are the remaining members who have yet to ratify Sweden and Finland’s membership.

Speaking at a joint news conference with other Nordic leaders Tuesday, Marin urged Turkey and Hungary to quickly approve of Finland and Sweden’s application to join NATO. The two countries sought to apply for NATO membership due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Sweden and Finland also reiterated last week that they would join NATO at the same time amidst objections from Turkey.

“All eyes are now on Hungary and Turkey. We are waiting for these countries to ratify our applications. I think it would be important that this would happen preferably sooner than later,” said Marin.

Turkey has raised objections to the accession of the two countries, particularly Sweden. Ankara has accused Sweden and Finland of harboring groups that it deems to be terrorists.

Friday last week, Marin said Turkey had more concerns with Sweden than her own country but said that Finland would not leave Sweden behind in the process. Sweden’s new Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson, said that they have been taking all the steps needed, “hand in hand, none of us have any other ambition” and that he will be meeting with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan soon.

“It’s completely legitimate that Turkey gets confirmation that Sweden is doing what Sweden has committed to do within the framework of the agreement,” said Kristersson. Sweden’s Aftonbladet said on the same day that Turkey had invited Sweden to a bilateral meeting in Ankara on November 8.

Kristersson also said on the same day that Sweden remains committed to meeting the terms of the deal with Turkey that was brokered in Madrid to secure its approval for them to join the NATO alliance. Kristersson said Stockholm would uphold its part in the deal and that the Swedish government is working hard to fulfill the terms of the agreement and will report on what they have achieved so far.

Swedish foreign minister Tobias Billstrom said later last month that the government has made accession to the alliance a top priority.