President Niinisto Calls The Fate Of Finland's NATO Membership In Turkey's Hand

Finnish President Sauli Sauli Niinisto. (Wikimedia Commons/Kremlin.ru/Presidential Executive Office of Russia)

JAKARTA - The fate of the Finnish app to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is in Turkey's hands, President Sauli Niinisto said on Friday, after Finland's parliament agreed to ratify the NATO establishment agreement on February 28.

Last May, Finland and neighboring Sweden submitted a request to join the Western military alliance in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

However, Turkey, which is a member of the alliance, opposes their membership, accusing Nordic countries of hiding what they call Kurdish terrorist groups.

The Finnish Parliament on Friday decided to vote on February 28, to approve the laws needed to allow the country to eventually become a NATO member, its foreign affairs committee chief said.

"This is an expression of our wishes. Turkey's stance on our wishes exclusively and is only in Turkey's hands," President Niinisto told reporters on the sidelines of a Munich security meeting.

The law ratifying the NATO establishment agreement in Finland is likely to be passed, given that most lawmakers support joining the alliance, bringing Finland one step closer to membership ahead of Sweden.

President Niinisto said Finland would resume its membership without Sweden if Turkey decided to ratify the Finnish app, but without Sweden.

"We do not want and also cannot withdraw our application," said President Niinisto.

Finland will not be a member of the Western military alliance until Turkey and Hungary ratify its offerings.

"The goal is for the national legislative process needed to join NATO to be completed during this election period," Jussi committee chairman Halla-aho told reporters on Friday.

Turkey said it did not support the Swedish app, although Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in January said he was open to ratifying the Finnish app.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said Tuesday it was not a problem whether Nordic countries joined together as long as the offer was ratified "as soon as possible".