Causes.com
| 6.29.22

NATO Officially Invites Finland & Sweden to Join Alliance After Deal Struck With Turkey

Do you support or oppose Finland and Sweden joining NATO?

What’s the story?

  • The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on Wednesday officially invited Finland and Sweden to join the alliance during the annual NATO Summit in Madrid, Spain. 
  • NATO’s formal invitation for Finland and Sweden to join comes after the two Nordic countries reached an agreement to assuage concerns raised by Turkey. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan previously threatened to effectively veto the countries’ bids to join NATO unless they provide assurances on counterterrorism efforts, particularly as they relate to Kurdish separatist groups like the PKK.
  • NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said at a press conference:
“I am pleased to announce that we now have an agreement that paves the way for Finland and Sweden to join NATO. Turkey, Finland, and Sweden have signed a memorandum that addresses Turkey’s concerns, including around arms exports and the fight against terrorism. No ally has suffered more brutal terrorist attacks than Turkey, including from the terrorist group PKK. The governments of Turkey, Finland, and Sweden have agreed to enhance their cooperation on counterterrorism. As NATO allies, Finland and Sweden commit to fully support Turkey against threats to its national security. This includes further amending their domestic legislation, cracking down on PKK activities, and entering into an agreement with Turkey on extradition.”
  • Finnish President Sauli Niinsto said in a statement:
“Our joint memorandum underscores the commitment of Finland, Sweden and Türkiye to extend their full support against threats to each other’s security. Us becoming NATO Allies will further strengthen this commitment. Over the past weeks, Türkiye has raised its concerns over the threat of terrorism. Finland has constantly taken these concerns seriously. Finland condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. As a NATO member, Finland will commit fully to the counterterrorism documents and policies of NATO. As we enhance our cooperation on counterterrorism, arms exports, and extraditions, Finland naturally continues to operate according to its national legislation.”
  • Finland and Sweden were officially non-aligned between the West and Russia for decades despite being NATO partners in many security initiatives. The countries opted to use NATO's "open door" policy to join the alliance following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
  • Russian President Vladimir Putin said he doesn't have the same problems with Finland and Sweden joining NATO that he does with Ukraine's potential membership. However, Putin warned that Russia "will respond in kind" to threats if military contingents and infrastructure are deployed in those countries given their proximity to Russia.
  • With NATO's formal invitation now extended, the formal accession process will begin and all 30 members of the alliance will go through their internal ratification processes to admit Finland and Sweden as members which are now expected to be a formality. Given their long history as NATO partners, the militaries of Finland and Sweden already meet NATO standards and have a high degree of interoperability with members of the alliance.

How do countries join NATO?

  • NATO has gone through eight rounds of enlargement since its formation, growing from 12 founding member states in 1949 to its current 30 members. Applicant countries must adhere to the principles of “democracy, individual liberty, and the rule of law”, in addition to being able to contribute to the security of the alliance. At this time, only European countries may apply to join.
  • NATO members must unanimously agree to invite any new country into the alliance. Once invited, applicant countries receive a membership action plan with steps to take to join the alliance. Then an accession protocol to the North Atlantic Treaty must be signed unanimously by NATO members to allow the country to join the alliance. 
  • The accession process may require ratification by a member country’s legislative body, as is the case in the U.S. where a two-thirds majority vote is required in the Senate to ratify the change to the treaty. Once all NATO countries have completed their ratification processes, the applicant country can formally join.


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— Eric Revell

(Photo Credit: iStock.com / Diy13)

  • 41.9k
    jimK
    06/30/2022

    It is a very positive move for both the future of NATO and the future demise of the putin. I expect the putin to go missing soon as the prssures on 'mother' Russia continue to mount.

    We need to proactively get as much advanced weaponry to Ukraine as possible as soon as possible, silence the leakers in the administration who argue that Ukraine will not be able to regain the territories lost so far to the Russuans and stop publicly describing the wesponry that we are sending to Ukraine before they can be deployed.

    if Ukraine is couceled or cajoled into letting Russia have all or some of the territory gained, all that will have been accomplished is to give Russia places where they can regroup to launch future attacks from staging areas surrounding three quarters of the Ukrainian border, which they will do no matter whatever peace terms they supposedly will agree to, 

  • 26.0k
    Frank_001
    Voted Support
    06/30/2022

    Great! 

    We must prepare our country, NATO nations will likely send in troops soon.

    Limit Putin's Options!

     

     

     

  • 2,797
    Robert
    Voted Oppose
    06/30/2022

    I kinda wish the NATO countries would wait until the mess in Ukraine is over.

  • 94.4k
    LeslieG
    06/30/2022

    Finland and Sweden should both be allowed to join NATO as both countries have prepared for this by participating in NATO training and peacekeeping efforts, spend 2%+ of GDP on military, have no territory disputes with Russia, and will contribute heavily to defense of the Baltic & Arctic.

    Turkey danced around the “V” word suggesting they really wanted to negotiate which turned out to be the case once Finland & Sweden agreed to crack down on PKK terrorists & agreed to lift restrictions on selling weapons to Turkey.

    Russia is getting everything they never wanted - NATO on their border & more armaments being sold to Ukraine!

    https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/6/29/why-did-turkey-lift-its-veto-on-finland-sweden-joining-nato-explainer

    https://www.causes.com/comments/7769

    https://www.causes.com/comments/9195 

    https://www.causes.com/comments/9281

  • 3,014
    SneakyPete
    Voted Support
    06/30/2022

    Finland and Sweden occuping vast ranges of Russian border regions which will provide NATO access to the diversion of Russian forces to secure its borderI at a time of international combat. SP

  • 2,414
    Martha
    Voted Support
    06/30/2022

    Good deal.  Now Ukraine needs to be invited into the fold, as well.

  • 406
    Thomas
    Voted Support
    06/30/2022

    I rather like the comment, "Putin wanted the Finlandization of NATO; he got NATOization of Finland."

  • 706
    Dan
    Voted Support
    06/30/2022

    This is a very big deal beyond the strengthened alliance and shared borders with the likes of a Putin-led Russia.  It's beneficial to the whole because Sweden and Finland already have legitimate, funded military capability and won't need subsidies from others - like the U.S.  Meanwhile, at the southern border...

  • 48.4k
    Brian
    Voted Support
    06/30/2022

    If Finland and Sweden are willing to contribute equally to the alliance, then they should be allowed to join. Both have military strength that can add to NATO, and both have a history of sharing a border and disputing territory with Russia.

     

    Putin didn't want NATO to expand, but it looks like that's what he gets. 

     

    A stronger NATO is good for us and for Europe, and it sounds like NATO also has new resolutions for engaging with China and preventing their aggression.

  • 44.9k
    Andy
    06/30/2022

    Better 'IN'. putin is just further and further out and keeps digging deeper ...

    https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-61397478

  • 3,959
    Jim2423
    06/30/2022

    I believe it is great with these countries banding together. I just hope our country doesn't plan on placing our military or military installations within these countries. That is just pouring salt into the open wound.

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    Today at 5:58 PM
  • 26.0k
    Frank_001
    Voted Support
    06/30/2022

    Seems everyone in Europe is serious about containing Putin's Russia.

    I do fear NATO will have to send in troops, Putin will respond but ultimately fail. In the end he will be branded a cruel, incompetent failure. He brings the end of Russian Authoritarian Corruptocracy. 

    Ukrainians have and will suffer tremendously but will rebuild.

    The Russian people will have losts thousands of lives and suffer for no reason.  

    I look forward to Putin's eventual demise which may even be expedited. But he'll just be 70 on October 7, 2022. Without something happening he might remain in power several more years.

    By comparison:

    Bernie Sanders 80

    Joe Biden 79

    Trump 74

    Greg Abbott 64

    Olaf Scholz 64

    Boris Johnson 58

    Kamala Harris 57

    Emmanuel Macron 44

    Ron DeSantis 43

    Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez 32

     

    "Don't follow leaders, watch your parking meters."

    .    from “Subterranean Homesick Blues by Bob Dylan

    For the unimaginative;

    This means something like "Resist falling for glib, charismatic people who want to be in charge. Take care of your business. Get that good education and that good job. BTW–keep your integrity Its worth a great deal."

     

     

     

     

     

     

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  • 8,935
    M
    06/30/2022

    Putin: well, it wasn't suppose to go like this. Is possible I made gross error. 

    0
    Today at 5:58 PM