Türkiye’s President Says He Will Back Finland’s NATO Bid

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Finnish President Sauli Niinisto (unseen) deliver a joint press conference held after their meeting at the Presidential Complex in Ankara, on March 17, 2023. (AFP)

Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday that his government would move forward with ratifying Finland’s NATO application, paving the way for the country to join the military bloc ahead of Sweden.

The breakthrough came as Finnish President Sauli Niinisto was in Ankara to meet with Erdogan. Both Finland and Sweden applied to become NATO members 10 months ago in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, abandoning decades of nonalignment.