How Turkey made peace with Sweden and Finland joining NATO
- Recently, an MoU has been signed b/w Turkey, Finland and Sweden which led to Turkey vocalising its support for inclusion of both the nations in NATO.
Provisions under MoU:
- A joint commitment to counter-terrorism;
- Extradition of terror suspects through a bilateral legal framework, and checking any financing and recruitment activities.
- Finland and Sweden assured their respective national regulatory frameworks for arms exports enable new commitments to Allies.
- Promised to stand against disinformation and to fully commit to EU’s CSDP (Common Security and Defence Policy) and Turkey’s participation in the PESCO (Permanent Structured Cooperation) Project on Military Mobility.
Why Turkey Agreed?
- No direct bilateral issues between Turkey with Sweden and Finland
- Only ideological difference on Kurdish issue
- Both agreed to address counter-terrorism provisions
- Finland will modify its criminal code
- Sweden will implement the new “Terrorist Offenses Act” from July 1
- Both agreed to execute the pending “deportations or extraditions” of listed ‘terror’ suspects made by Turkey.
- Both will remove the arms embargo against Turkey.
Why did Finland and Sweden agree to Turkey’s terms?
- Due to the National Security threat from Russia, joining NATO is crucial and for that backing of Turkey is important.
Meaning for Russia:
- Enlarged presence of the latter around the west and north of Russia.
- Russia shares a 1,340-kilometer-long border with Finland.
- Sweden shares Baltic Sea with Russia.
- Undermine Russia’s interests in the Arctic
- Sweden and Finland are part of Arctic States;
- Russia is currently chairing the Arctic Council and will remain until 2023.
Meaning for NATO:
- Strengthening alliance and shift from their Neutral stance
- It will gain strategic ground to counter Russia, both on land and in Baltic Sea
- A secured Euro-Atlantic