The president of United States, Joe Biden, gave “strong support to the historic candidacies of Finland and Sweden to join NATO“, according to a statement issued Wednesday by the White House.
(Read: Finland and Sweden formally submit their application for NATO membership)
“While your NATO applications are being considered, The United States will work with Finland and Sweden to stay alert for any threats to our common security, and to deter and respond to any aggression or threat of aggression.”
(You are interested in: Sweden and Finland put their candidatures on track to join NATO)
Biden, who will receive Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson and Finnish President Sauli Niinistö at the White House on Thursday, indicates in the note that “he hopes to work with the US Congress and with our NATO allies to quickly integrate Finland and Sweden to the strongest defense alliance in history.
🔴Biden welcomes and supports Sweden and Finland’s application to join NATO.
Two messages to Russia in the statement:
▪️🇺🇸 will maintain “robust” presence and exercises in the Baltic
▪️While your request is being processed, 🇺🇸 will work with 🇸🇪🇫🇮 “against any aggression” pic.twitter.com/6PRCDjnyri– Javier Ansorena (@jansorena) May 18, 2022
In addition to the United States, the entry of the Nordic countries into the North Atlantic Alliance has been supported by the most important European leaders, although Turkey rejects it.
The German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, stated this Tuesday that he sees with “optimism” the ratification of Sweden and Finland’s entry into Nato by all members of the alliance.
“I am just as optimistic as the NATO secretary general that we will get it done quickly and quickly, with the support of all countries,” he told a joint news conference in Berlin with Luxembourg Prime Minister Daniel Risk.
Scholz also stated that his government welcomes the decision of Finland and Sweden to request entry into NATO, with which they exercise the “sovereign right to choose an alliance.”
For its part, the Government of Portugal assured that it “welcomes” the decision of the Executives of Finland and Sweden to request their accession to NATO, which it describes as “democratic and sovereign” in the “new security context”.
“The Portuguese Government considers that the entry of these two countries will represent a significant reinforcement of the Atlantic Alliance and expresses its unequivocal support for a rapid accession,” he assured.
As for France, the Macron government supported the candidacies and warned that it will stand before “any state that seeks to test European solidarity through a threat or aggression against the sovereignty” of both Nordic countries.
It’s a statement, the French Presidency is careful not to mention any specific Statealthough his statement comes on the same day that Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed that the accession of Sweden and Finland will only be a problem if weapons are deployed in their territories.
In the event that Sweden and Finland need it, France highlighted its commitment to implement article 42.7 of the European Union Treaty, which includes mutual assistance in matters of defense and security.
“Thanks to their robust defense capabilities, the accession of Sweden and Finland to NATO will strengthen the security and stability of the Baltic region, of Europe as a whole and of the Euro-Atlantic area.”
And I think this is very good news for the EU, because it strengthens us and gives us more capacity to react to a threat at the border.
In addition, the defense ministers of the European Union gave “strong support” to the decision of Finland and Sweden during the Council that was held on Tuesday in Brussels, assured the high representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell.
“I am sure that they will receive strong support from all the Member States, because it increases our unity and makes us stronger,” Borrell told the press upon arrival at the Council.
Borrell considered that the approach to the Atlantic Alliance of Sweden and Finland, until now neutral in the field of defense, “is just the opposite of what (Russian President Vladimir) Putin wanted to achieve, who tried to stop the development of Nato on Russia’s borders and now the opposite is happening.”
Turkey, an opponent
Turkey reproaches both countries for rejecting its requests for the extradition of members of “terrorist organizations.”
With Sweden in their sights, Turkish critics focus on the attitude of both countries on the issue of Kurdish groups. Mainly about the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), and also Kurdish armed movements in Syria fought by Turkey.
Described as a “terrorist organization” by Turkey, the PKK is also considered so by the United States and the European Union, Sweden and Finland included. But Sweden’s anti-terrorism laws are not as extensive as in Turkey, stresses Paul Levin, director of the Institute for Turkish Studies at Stockholm University.
“For example, it is not forbidden to be a member or to wave a flag of a terrorist organization,” he stresses, which makes it possible to organize frequent pro-PKK demonstrations on the streets of Stockholm.
Turkish annoyance with the PKK expanded in recent years to Swedish signs of support Kurdish armed groups in Syria, such as the anti-Islamic State militia People’s Protection Units (YPG).
With other European countries, both banned arms exports to Turkey in October 2019, in retaliation for a Turkish offensive in northern Syria. Turkey, which reproaches Stockholm for promoting these measures, does not want countries that exercised “sanctions” against Turkey to enter NATO, according to Erdogan.
INTERNATIONAL WRITING
*With information from EFE, AFP and Bloomberg
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