The Finnish presidency announced on Tuesday that Turkey had signed a memorandum of understanding lifting Ankara’s blocking of Sweden and Finland’s candidacy for NATO. This agreement “confirms that Turkey will, during the summit this week, support the invitation of Finland and Sweden to join NATO”, announced the Finnish president.
Obstacle since mid-May to the entry of Sweden and Finland into NATO, Turkey ended up lifting its veto on Tuesday evening, announced the Alliance and the three countries. “I am delighted to announce that we have an agreement which paves the way for Finland and Sweden to join NATO” and which responds to “Turkey’s concerns over arms exports and the fight against terrorism,” said Atlantic Alliance Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. The NATO countries will therefore be able to officially “invite” these two Nordic countries on Wednesday to join the Alliance, he added.
After several hours of discussions
This agreement, first confirmed by the Finnish presidency, came after several hours of discussions, in the congress center where the summit is taking place until Thursday, between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, his Finnish counterpart and the Prime Minister Swedish, with Jens Stoltenberg as mediator. At the end of these negotiations, the three leaders signed this agreement in the presence of the Secretary General of NATO.
Sweden’s membership will “strengthen the security of Sweden and the Swedish people in these troubled times”, welcomed Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson. The Turkish green light to their entry into NATO gives a “powerful impetus” to Western unity, a senior White House official said. For British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, “Sweden and Finland joining will make our brilliant alliance stronger and more secure”.