Turkey halts NATO's vote on Finland and Sweden's accession

Turkey blocked NATO's initial decision to process Finland's and Sweden's applications to join the military alliance, casting doubt on hopes for a speedy Nordic accession.

NATO ambassadors met today, Wednesday, with the aim of starting accession talks on the same day that Finland and Sweden submitted their requests, but Ankara's opposition halted any vote, according to a person familiar with the matter, quoted by the Financial Times.

This disruption raises doubts that NATO will be able to agree to the first stage of deciding the requests of Finland and Sweden within a week or two, as indicated by Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.

The postponement also sets the stage for several days of intense diplomacy between the United States, Turkey, Finland and Sweden on addressing the sticking points on the issue.

All 30 current NATO members must ratify the applications of Finland and Sweden, but this process only begins once the defense alliance issues an accession protocol and formally invites the two countries to join.

Speaking in parliament on Wednesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attacked Western allies for failing to respect Ankara's "sensitivity" to terrorism and accused the latest NATO bidder of refusing to extradite 30 people accused of terrorism-related charges in his country.

Erdogan, who vetoes Finland and Sweden's admission to NATO, said alliance members should "understand, respect and support" Turkey's sensitivities toward these groups, adding: "None of our allies showed the respect we expected for our sensitivity."

"This is a good day at a critical moment for our security," Stoltenberg said Wednesday, as the ambassadors of Finland and Sweden handed in their applications to join the alliance at a ceremony at NATO headquarters in Brussels.

Follow our latest local and sports news and the latest political and economic developments via Google news