spot_img
3.5 C
Munich
spot_img
Friday, March 29, 2024

Turkey lifts block on Finland’s NATO bid over accusations of supporting terrorists

Must read

Turkey has lifted its block on Finland’s NATO membership bid, citing the Nordic nation’s support for terrorists as the reason behind the delay. Although Sweden, Finland’s neighbor, also applied to join NATO, Ankara is still blocking it for similar reasons. Finland will be formally admitted to NATO at its next summit in July, and the Finnish government has said that joining the alliance will enhance the country’s security and improve stability and security in the region.

Finland is abandoning its neutrality and joining NATO in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Finland shares a 1,340km border with Russia and is one of the most powerful arsenals of artillery pieces in Western Europe. In contrast, Sweden, which also applied to join NATO, abandoned its longstanding commitment to neutrality but does not share a border with Russia.

For Russian President Vladimir Putin, Finland’s accession to NATO represents a significant strategic setback. Finland is set to become the seventh NATO country on the Baltic Sea, further isolating Russia’s coastal access at St Petersburg and its small exclave of Kaliningrad. The Russian foreign ministry condemned Finland’s decision, calling it ill-considered and based on Russophobic hysteria. However, Finnish public opinion has changed since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with support for NATO membership jumping from an underwhelming one-third of Finns to almost 80% overnight last spring.

In conclusion, Turkey’s lifting of the block on Finland’s NATO bid is expected to enhance the country’s security, strengthen the alliance, and improve stability and security in the region. Finland’s accession to NATO will isolate Russia’s access to the Baltic Sea, marking a significant strategic setback for President Putin.

- Advertisement -spot_img

Latest article