Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Sources told Al Mayadeen: Russia's position on Iran's right to peacefully enrich uranium has not changed during ongoing contacts between the two countries
Diplomatic sources to Al Mayadeen: Iran has not received any Russian offer to halt uranium enrichment on its territory
Syrian, Israeli officials to meet in Baku: AFP, citing diplomatic source in Damascus
Fuel shortages in Gaza at 'critical levels', UN warns
Israeli media: Three soldiers were injured by an explosive device in southern Gaza, and a fourth was wounded in the north
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: Approximately 80 Palestinians have been killed since dawn in the latest wave of escalating Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, according to an initial toll
Araghchi: The risk of radiation spreading in nuclear facilities is serious, and there is also the risk of the explosion of war munitions left behind by the US aggression
Araghchi: Iran's cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency will not end, but it will take a different form in the future to ensure the security of nuclear facilities
Araghchi: Iran's nuclear program was and will remain peaceful, and Iran has not withdrawn from international treaties
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi meets with ambassadors and heads of foreign missions in Iran

Finland wants to join NATO alongside Sweden: Finnish PM

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 18 Feb 2023 14:39
2 Min Read

Despite Turkey's objections to its neighbor's membership bid, Finland wants to join NATO with Sweden, Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin says.

  • x
  • Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin and the Swedish Prime Minister give a joint press conference in Stockholm on February 2, 2023. (AFP)
    Finnish PM Sanna Marin and the Swedish Prime Minister give a joint press conference in Stockholm on February 2, 2023. (AFP)

Despite Turkey's objections to its neighbor's membership bid, Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said on Saturday that Finland still wants to join NATO with Sweden.

"We have sent a very clear signal and a very clear message to Turkey and also to Hungary... that we want to enter NATO together and this is in the interest of everyone," Marin said at the Munich Security Conference.

"We want to join together with Sweden at the same time. It's not only because we are good neighbors and partners, but it's also to do with very concrete matters -- the security planning of NATO," she said.

In response to Russia's military operation in Ukraine, Finland and Sweden abandoned decades of military non-alignment and applied to join the US-led defense alliance.

Related News

'Turkey has won': Erdogan hails PKK disarmament

Iraq welcomes PKK’s disarmament as step toward regional stability

Having said that, both Turkey and Hungary remain the only members of the 30-nation alliance that have so far refused to ratify the two bids by parliamentary vote. All 30 states must approve a new country's membership.

Turkey has indicated that it is willing to accept Finland into the alliance, but not Sweden.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's main gripe has been Sweden's refusal to extradite dozens of suspects linked to banned Kurdish groups.

During a visit to Turkey on Thursday, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said it was time to ratify Sweden and Finland's membership bids. "I continue to believe that the time is now to ratify both Finland and Sweden," Stoltenberg said.

However, earlier on February 7, high-level sources revealed that all Finnish parties, bar one, are prepared for their country to access NATO without Sweden. Although Helsinki had indicated to the outside world that Finland and Sweden continue to see NATO membership as a common cause, the reality of things may be quite different.

Finland was prepared to join NATO without Sweden if Turkey and Hungary ratify only Finland's NATO application, according to the country's media, citing several high-level sources. "We have to admit the facts: we are Russia's neighbor. Sweden's geopolitical position is completely different from ours," one of the sources was quoted as saying.

  • Turkey
  • Nato
  • Finland
  • Sweden
  • Sanna Marin

Most Read

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Major ambush in Gaza kills 6 Israeli troops, injures dozens

Major ambush in Gaza kills 5 Israeli troops, injures 14

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Concrete and rubble fall from a heavily damaged building as Israeli soldiers search for survivors in a residential area hit by a missile fired from Iran, near Tel Aviv, occupied Palestine, Sunday, June 15, 2025 (AP)

'Israel' concealed damage inflicted by Iran in war, report finds

  • Politics
  • 5 Jul 2025
Israeli soldiers are seen in Beit Hanoun ahead of an operation by the al-Qassam Brigades, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

'Israel' on blast as media exposes report discrepancies in Gaza ambush

  • Palestine
  • 8 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Yemenis burn US and Israeli flags during an anti-US and anti-Israeli weekly rally in Sanaa, Yemen, Friday, June 20, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Sanaa slams UN envoy over biased statement on Red Sea operations

Palestinians carry the body of Abdul Qusay Issa, 23, who was killed in an Israeli military raid, during his funeral at the West Bank village of Salem, near Nablus, Sunday, July 6, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Israeli settlers kill Palestinian youth in brutal West Bank assault

Vehicles drive past a banner showing portraits of the Iranian armed forces commanders and nuclear scientists who were killed in an Israeli strike, at Tajrish Square in northern Tehran, Iran, Monday, June 30, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Iran envisions a resistant, independent Middle East, Larijani says

An al-Qassam Brigades fighter stands over the corpse of an Israeli soldier killed in Khan Younis, Gaza, in footage published on July 10, 2025 (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)
Politics

Al-Qassam kill Israeli soldier in new 'scandal' for Israeli forces

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS