Finland, Sweden committed to joining NATO at the same time, prime ministers say

Finland and Sweden remain committed to joining NATO at the same time despite Turkey’s opposition to the Swedish candidacy, the two countries’ prime ministers told a joint news conference in Stockholm on Thursday.

Turkey has said it could approve Finland’s NATO membership application ahead of Sweden’s, but the Finnish president and foreign minister have both rejected this idea, arguing that the security of the two Nordic countries is mutually dependent.

“I don’t like this atmosphere, position where Sweden is presented as a sort of trouble child in the classroom. I don’t think this is the case,” Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said.

“Sweden also ticks all the boxes that are needed to become a member of NATO,” she added.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said his country continued to abide by a trilateral agreement on NATO accession signed last year between Sweden, Finland and Turkey.

“We embarked on this journey together and we do the journey toward membership together,” Kristersson said, referring to the efforts by Sweden and Finland to join the military alliance.