March 31, 2023
Finland to join Nato as hold-out Turkey approves membership bid
Finald is set to join NATO "in days" after Turkey’s parliament voted to ratify its membership bid, submitted in the wake of ’s invasion of . Turkey was the last among Nato's members to ratify the bid, after months of negotiations between Ankara and Helsinki. All 276 MPs present voted in favour. "All 30 Nato allies have now ratified the accession protocol," the alliance’s secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, said on Friday. "Finland will formally join our alliance in the coming days." Finland’s entrance into Nato is a significant moment. It shares an 830-mile border with Russia, and the two nations fought ferociously during the Second World War. Helsinki also possesses one of the most powerful arsenals in Western Europe. Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had raised concern that Finland and Sweden, who submitted their Nato bids at the same time, had not taken his country’s security concerns about Kurdish separatists and militants seriously. Ankara is still holding off approving Sweden's membership demanding more action against what it claims is support for what Mr Erdogan’s government deems “terrorist” groups. "Finland has taken more steps compared to Sweden in the context of the fight against terrorism," the state-run Anadolu Agency quoted government ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) MP Ismail Ozdemir as saying. Helsinki was officially neutral during the decades of the Cold War and 30 years afterward, even as it integrated into the European Union and cooperated deeply with Nato on sensitive security matters. Finland opted to join Nato following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine last year. It was set to enter alongside Sweden, but both countries’ efforts have been held up by Turkey and Hungary. The Budapest government of Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has long been a friend of President Putin, appeared eager to not run too afoul of the Kremlin. Both nations are also irked by Western criticism of their authoritarian tendencies. Both were not invited to a United States democracy summit this week. However, Hungary ratified Finland’s entrance into Nato earlier this week. Analysts and Turkish political insiders say that Sweden will also likely be given the green light by Ankara, probably after the 14 May presidential and parliamentary elections. Mr Putin has repeatedly hit out at what he sees as Western interference in Ukraine and has framed his war as a way to prevent a further eastern expansion of Nato. Finland would add to Nato’s strengths. Its armed forces and intelligence services are known as sharply focused on Russia and the Kremlin, with a deep institutional understanding of Moscow’s ways. Unlike other Scandinavian countries. It has maintained mandatory MILITARY conscription and has spent robustly on defence. Despite a population of just 5.5 million people, Finland has a potential ground force of 280,000 troops, including reserves – more than the United Kingdom. “Given Finland’s long border with Russia and its history of being conquered by Russia and the Soviet Union, it has in many ways a more in-depth understanding of Russia and a track record of cultivating knowledge in Russian studies,” said Mai’a Cross, a professor of international relations at Boston’s Northeastern University. Ms Cross recently visited with Finland’s armed forces commanders and soldiers as part of a diplomatic mission. “Finland’s military is suddenly transforming itself in preparation for membership in Nato,” she said. “It is becoming far more visible in society, and changing its military training to take into account a far greater international dimension as well as a broader scope of action.” Finland’s geography would give Nato a major presence on Russia’s borders and more tools to defend Baltic states formerly under the Kremlin’s dominion. But Finland, like the Baltic States, is also within easy range of Russian tactical weapons. The vote in Ankara on Thursday could also help the prospects of Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin ahead of national elections on Sunday. Mr Erdogan is also running for reelection in a tightly contested race that many consider the biggest challenge to his rule he has faced in his 20 years as Turkey’s leader. Mr Erdogan said Wednesday that Mr Putin may visit Turkey ahead of the elections to launch the country’s first atomic power plant – a Rosatom-built 4,800-megawatt in the city of Akkuyu.
Related Stories
Latest News
Top news around the world
Academy Awards

‘Oppenheimer’ Reigns at Oscars With Seven Wins, Including Best Picture and Director

Get the latest news about the 2024 Oscars, including nominations, winners, predictions and red carpet fashion at 96th Academy Awards

Around the World

Celebrity News

> Latest News in Media

Watch It
Millie Bobby Brown & Jake Bongiovi Celebrate “Three Years of Bliss” Ahead of Wedding
March 24, 2024
C4Ehegcq1-A
Kate Middleton & Prince William "Enormously Touched" by Public Support
March 24, 2024
s8fig-RCjFc
Gisele Bündchen Denies Cheating on Ex-Husband Tom Brady
March 23, 2024
_SpRMagA8BM
Eminem, 50 Cent & Snoop Dogg Present Dr. Dre with a Star on the Walk of Fame
March 19, 2024
4bNLs1hxVp8
Opening Remarks for the Variety Summit October 20th, 2023 Jay Penske
March 18, 2024
c6Z707iLq8E
'Everybody Was S----ing Their Pants': Nick Thune Jokes About Being Born in the '70s and Fatherhood
March 16, 2024
mm7Baf6o2d8
Gunna Says Tour Will Up Creativity in Rap, Endorses Flo Milli | TMZ
March 22, 2024
QfMU24fw-Qo
Reporter Taylor Lorenz Says Palace Botched Kate Cancer News Rollout | TMZ Live
March 22, 2024
o43ZucdiyEo
Riley Strain's Body Found After Going Missing in Nashville 2 Weeks Ago | TMZ NOW
March 22, 2024
1m1zM-4_Cs8
Kyle Richards hasn’t spoken to co-star Dorit Kemsley, denies sending her a ‘manipulative’ text
March 24, 2024
LqLZzDP1hm4
Jordan Emanuel on her connection to 'RHOSLC' star Meredith Marks, advice from Amanda Batula
March 24, 2024
5NPAwlOov1Y
Kate Middleton’s uncle Gary apologizes after slamming ‘fickle’ Meghan Markle in scathing interview
March 24, 2024
JWG9kitALZk
TV Schedule
Late Night Show
Watch the latest shows of U.S. top comedians

Sports

Latest sport results, news, videos, interviews and comments
Latest Events
20
Mar
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Playoffs - Women
SK Brann W - Barcelona W
20
Mar
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Playoffs - Women
Hacken W - PSG W
19
Mar
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Playoffs - Women
SL Benfica W - Lyon W
19
Mar
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Playoffs - Women
Ajax W - Chelsea W
17
Mar
SPAIN: La Liga
Atletico Madrid - Barcelona
17
Mar
ENGLAND: FA Cup
Manchester United - Liverpool
17
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Inter Milan - Napoli
17
Mar
ENGLAND: Premier League
Brighton - Manchester City
17
Mar
GERMANY: Bundesliga
Borussia Dortmund - Eintracht Frankfurt
17
Mar
ENGLAND: FA Cup
Chelsea - Leicester City
17
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Roma - Sassuolo
17
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Verona - AC Milan
17
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Juventus - Genoa
16
Mar
GERMANY: Bundesliga
Darmstadt - Bayern Munich
16
Mar
ENGLAND: FA Cup
Manchester City - Newcastle United
16
Mar
ENGLAND: Premier League
Fulham - Tottenham Hotspur
16
Mar
SPAIN: La Liga
Osasuna - Real Madrid
13
Mar
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: 1/8 Final
Atletico Madrid - Inter Milan
12
Mar
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: 1/8 Final
Barcelona - Napoli
12
Mar
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: 1/8 Final
Arsenal - Porto
11
Mar
ENGLAND: Premier League
Chelsea - Newcastle United
10
Mar
ENGLAND: Premier League
Liverpool - Manchester City
10
Mar
SPAIN: La Liga
Real Madrid - Celta Vigo
10
Mar
ENGLAND: Premier League
Aston Villa - Tottenham Hotspur
10
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Juventus - Atalanta
10
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Fiorentina - Roma
10
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
AC Milan - Empoli
Find us on Instagram
at @feedimo to stay up to date with the latest.
Featured Video You Might Like
zWJ3MxW_HWA L1eLanNeZKg i1XRgbyUtOo -g9Qziqbif8 0vmRhiLHE2U JFCZUoa6MYE UfN5PCF5EUo 2PV55f3-UAg W3y9zuI_F64 -7qCxIccihU pQ9gcOoH9R8 g5MRDEXRk4k
Copyright © 2020 Feedimo. All Rights Reserved.