Borrell Praises Initiatives By Sweden, Finland To Join NATO

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Monday voiced his firm support for the plans of Sweden and Finland to apply for NATO membership

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th May, 2022) EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Monday voiced his firm support for the plans of Sweden and Finland to apply for NATO membership.

"Let me stress my strong support to Sweden and Finland (in their accession to NATO)," Borrell said upon arrival at the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting.

The diplomat expressed the hope that EU member states would back this decision as well, allowing "to override the opposition of some members of NATO" regarding the countries' aspiration to join the alliance.

On Friday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that the majority of Turks oppose the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO over their open support for the Kurdistan Workers' Party and Kurdish YPG militia, which Turkey deems terrorist organizations.

He added though that Helsinki and Stockholm are ready to discuss the issue with Ankara.

The Ukrainian crisis has spurred an extensive debate in both Finland and Sweden on abandoning decades of neutrality and joining the alliance amid a shifting security situation in Europe. Both countries announced their bids for NATO membership on Sunday, with the parliamentary discussions and voting expected later this week.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Sunday that the alliance would warmly welcome Finland and Sweden and pledged to fast-track their membership applications. Yet the accession process may take up to several months, as all NATO members must ratify accession protocols at the national level, with Turkey's opposition capable of delaying the process.