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
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: Four fetuses and three premature babies died at Nasser Medical Complex due to malnutrition
Lebanese Ministry of Health: One person was killed in an Israeli airstrike on a car in the town of Burj Qalawieh, south Lebanon.
Al Mayadeen correspondent: The first ship of the Maghreb fleet delivering aid to break the siege on Gaza departs from the port of Gammarth in Tunisia.
Channel 12: Airspace closed at Ramon Airport due to fears of drone infiltration
IOF Spokesperson: Sirens sounded over an aircraft infiltration in the Bir Ora area, and details are being examined
Drone infiltration sirens sound north of the Gulf of Aqaba
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: The Israeli occupation carried out five extremely violent raids on the western areas of Gaza City
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: The Israeli occupation carried out major bombings in the Gaza Strip, the most violent since October 7
Yemeni Armed Forces spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree: The missile force carried out a major operation using the Palestine 2 ballistic hypersonic missile, hitting several targets in occupied Yafa.
Sirens sound in large areas of occupied Palestine after a missile launch from Yemen was detected

Sweden deepens integration with NATO military as accession talks halt

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 11 Feb 2023 17:49
4 Min Read

The Swedish Defense Minister says his country is witnessing further integration into the coalition's "military hemisphere".

  • x
  • Sweden to accelerate integration with NATO as accession talks hault
    Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson (Fredrik Sandberg/TT)

Sweden aims to further integrate its military relations with NATO as the country's accession into the coalition is facing obstacles after talks with Turkey have been put to a halt.
 
"I think there are about 15 acts to be signed and we are seeing an increasingly deep integration of Sweden into NATO in the military sphere," Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson told broadcaster Sveriges Television (SVT) on Saturday.
 
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson announced on Saturday that his country was ready to resume talks with Ankara regarding Stockholms's NATO application, once Turkey is ready for such talks.

Read more: War in Ukraine: A conflict that will decide the global system's fate

"The first thing we need to do is calm down the situation. It is hard to have good talks when things are literally burning around you," Kristersson said during a visit to Estonia's capital, Tallinn.

"As soon as they are prepared (for talks), we are obviously prepared," Kristersson added.

Some background

Following the outbreak of the Ukraine war, Sweden and Finland both submitted applications to join NATO last year. However, their bids for accession require the unanimous approval of all 30 NATO member states to be considered. Hungary and Turkey are the only countries that have not yet approved the applications.

Rallies attacking the Turkish leadership in Stockholm and the burning of the holy Quran have poured oil onto the fire and further deepened the rift and raised tensions between Turkey and Sweden.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned following the events that the relations with the nordic country have reached a new low.

Related News

CHP rallies tens of thousands in Ankara against 'judicial coup'

Turkey seizes 3 TV channels amid fraud probe into parent company

Ankara condemned the incident and announced that it will not support Sweden in its NATO bid, while its [Turkey's] position on Finland might be different if it applies to the coalition alone.

NATO rapid accession; not so rappid

Earlier today, Finnish President Sauli Niinnisto announced that Finland and Sweden plan to take part in the NATO summit in Vilnius scheduled for July 11-12; a summit designated for full members of the alliance. 

Niinisto expressed concern that if Finland and Sweden don’t join the alliance by the summer, then the process of receiving membership will become uncertain and could raise debate, even after being promised rapid accession to the alliance.

“If it doesn’t happen by the Vilnius meeting, why should it happen afterwards?” he said.

Read more: US pressuring Turkey to further stifle Russia: WSJ

The countries’ wish to join the alliance was expressed in 2022 a few months after the war in Ukraine began last February. Both countries decided to let go of neutrality and apply for NATO membership in May 2022.

This promised “rapid accession” was unexpectedly stalled due to Ankara’s position, amid strained relations between Ankara and Sweden due to several incidents that cast doubt on Sweden's chances of gaining Turkey's approval.

Finland may depart with Sweden over NATO application

On January 23, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Ankara may decide to make a "different" decision on Finland's bid for NATO membership - as opposed to that of Sweden's - that would inevitably "shock" Sweden. 

On January 24, and as diplomatic tensions between Sweden and Turkey reached an all-time high, Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto stated that Finland may consider joining NATO without Sweden.

Finland's Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said on January 30 that his country still hopes to join NATO together with Sweden after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's earlier remarks that Ankara could accept Finland without its Nordic neighbor.

However, despite the fact that Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin reaffirmed earlier this month that Finland intends to join NATO alongside Sweden, high-level sources revealed on February 8 that all Finnish parties, bar one, are prepared for their country to move forward alone. 

  • Turkey
  • Nato
  • Finland
  • Sweden

Most Read

The damaged building in the Katara neighborhood, Doha, Qatar, September 9, 2025 (Social media)

Hamas delegation survives Israeli assassination attempt in Qatar

  • Politics
  • 9 Sep 2025
Israeli police and rescue teams respond at the scene of a shooting attack where several people killed and injured in Jerusalem, Monday, Sept. 8, 2025 (AP)

Al-Quds shooting: 7 settlers killed, several critically injured

  • Politics
  • 8 Sep 2025
Pro-"Israel" conservative Charlie Kirk shot during Utah speech

American far-right activist Charlie Kirk shot dead during Utah speech

  • US & Canada
  • 11 Sep 2025
Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza.

Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza

  • Politics
  • 12 Sep 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
People protest against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, in New York, on Friday, September 27, 2024 (AP)
Politics

'Israel' stops unfunded diplomacy ahead of UN, October 7 memorial

An Israeli Air Force fighter jet releases flares over the Gaza Strip, is seen from southern occupied Palestine, Thursday, May 8, 2025 (AP)
Politics

OIC summit draft: Israeli attack on Qatar risks normalization

People shout slogans and hold Palestinian flags while protesting during the twenty-first stage of La Vuelta cycling race from Alalpardo to Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025. (AP)
Sports

Pro-Palestine protests force abrupt end to Vuelta a España finale

Damage is seen after an Israeli strike targeted a compound that hosted Hamas' political leadership in Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday, September 10, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Israeli regime faces growing isolation over Qatar strike: Reports

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