Finland

NATO: US Ambassador confident on Finland and Sweden joining Sign up for our news briefing, including a daily special Russia-Ukraine edition SUBSCRIBE Invalid email We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info General Timo Kivinen said Finland has prepared for decades for a Russian attack and would put up stiff resistance if it happened. He added a crucial factor is Finns would be motivated to fight. Related articles Meghan Markle's 'bulletproof' smile drops with Kate & Will - pictures Donny Osmond on 'moment I'll never forget' amid final farewell The defence chief said: "Ukraine has been a tough bite to chew [for Russia] and so would be Finland ." He added the Nordic country has built up a substantial arsenal. General … [Read more...] about ‘Tough bite to chew’ Finland sends Putin retaliation warning as war escalation fears grow

Finland is bolstering its military with warships, F-35s and drones, in preparation for becoming Russia's NATO neighbor. Finland and fellow Nordic nation Sweden are seeking to join the military alliance imminently, in what would mark a major policy shift for the countries following Russia's decision to invade Ukraine in February. Amid Russian warnings of "serious political consequences" should the countries join NATO, Finland's armed forces chief General Timo Kivinen told Reuters that the country is prepared to fight Russia if attacked. Finland and Russia share an 800-mile border. The nation has ordered four new warships and 64 F-35 fighter jets from U.S. aerospace, arms, defense, information security, and technology company Lockheed Martin. Finland also plans to purchase as many as 2,000 drones and a high altitude anti-aircraft equipment, according to Reuters. Kivinen has said Finns would be motivated to fight should Russia attack. "The most important line of defense is … [Read more...] about Warships, F-35s, Drones: Finland prepares to become Russia’s NATO neighbor

NATO's plans to add two more Nordic countries to the military alliance "will likely drag on" as Turkey puts a block on accepting Sweden and Finland as members. That's the conclusion of a new report from the International Crisis Group which found that Turkey was "unlikely to simply back down on its demands" to Stockholm and Helsinki. "It is using the occasion to raise grievances it has felt for a long time, mainly with what it sees as permissive attitudes in Western capitals toward the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) – the insurgent group that, along with the US and EU, it lists as terrorist," the report said. This latest downbeat assessment comes as NATO leaders are due to meet Tuesday in Madrid for a summit which was expected to see Finland and Sweden ushered into the alliance. Finnish President Sauli Niinistö , Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson and Turkey's President Erdogan will meet with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenburg on … [Read more...] about NATO expansion: Moves to admit Finland and Sweden ‘will likely drag on’ amid objections from Turkey

Finland and Sweden have struck a deal with Turkey that sees Ankara drop its objections to the two Nordic countries joining NATO. In a statement, Turkish President Erdogan said he had obtained “full cooperation” from Finland and Sweden against Kurdish PKK fighters and their allies, after more than three hours of discussions on Tuesday in Madrid, on the sidelines of the NATO summit. After the talks, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said “we now have an agreement that paves the way for Finland and Sweden to join NATO.” "As a result of that meeting, our foreign ministers signed a trilateral memorandum which confirms that Turkey will at the Madrid Summit this week support the invitation of Finland and Sweden to become members of NATO," Finland's President Sauli Niinistö said in a statement released by his office . "One step forward," Niinistö later wrote on his personal Twitter account. Finnish Minister of Defence Antti Kaikkonen said: "Today saw the … [Read more...] about Finland and Sweden set for invite to join NATO after Turkey drops opposition

Turkey agreed Tuesday to lift its opposition to Sweden and Finland joining NATO, ending an impasse that had clouded a leaders' summit opening in Madrid amid Europe's worst security crisis in decades, triggered by the war in Ukraine . After urgent top-level talks with leaders of the three countries, alliance Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that "we now have an agreement that paves the way for Finland and Sweden to join NATO." He called it "a historic decision." Among its many shattering consequences, President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine has prompted Sweden and Finland to abandon their long-held nonaligned status and apply to join NATO as protection against an increasingly aggressive and unpredictable Russia — which shares a long border with Finland. Under NATO treaties, an attack on any member would be considered an attack against all and trigger a military response by the entire alliance. NATO operates by consensus, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip … [Read more...] about Turkey lifts its objections to Sweden, Finland joining NATO

Finland and Sweden are poised to join the Nato military alliance after signing an agreement with Turkey. Both countries applied to become members in response to Vladimir Putin’s assault on Ukraine , reversing decades of foreign policy in the process. Securing agreement from Turkey, which baulks at the perceived pro-Kurd stances of the applicants, had been the main hurdle but talks have produced a breakthrough tonight. The three countries signed a memorandum to ‘extend their full support against threats to each other’s security’, a nod to Ankara’s ongoing conflict with the PKK, a militant group at war with the Turkish state. President Recep Erdoğan has previously accused Sweden in particular of ‘harbouring terrorists’ and demanded they condemn the group. All eyes will now be on the Kremlin which has previously threatened to respond if the two nations push ahead with their plans. The move will add 800 of miles of Nato-Russia border to the alliance’s frontier, a … [Read more...] about Sweden and Finland on the verge of joining Nato after talks breakthrough

Turkey will renew requests for Sweden and Finland to extradite individuals it considers "terrorists" after the countries reached a deal over the Nordic nations' NATO membership bids, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ said on Wednesday. Turkey had opposed their bids over what it called support for Kurdish militants and others it views as terrorists, as well as over arms embargoes and unfulfilled extradition requests. On Tuesday, the three nations signed a deal for Ankara to remove its block, while the candidates pledged not to support the Kurdish militant PKK and YPG groups. It also has the two promise not to help the network of US-based cleric Fethullah Gülen, which Ankara says staged a 2016 coup attempt and which it labels a terrorist organisation with the acronym FETÖ. "The dossiers of six PKK members, six FETÖ members await in Finland, while those of 10 FETÖ members and 11 PKK members await in Sweden. We will write about their extradition again after the agreement … [Read more...] about Turkey demands Sweden and Finland extradite ‘terrorists’ after NATO deal

Finland and Sweden were on Tuesday given the green light to join Nato after convincing Turkey to drop its opposition to their membership. In a historic moment for the military alliance, the Turkish leader joined his Swedish and Finnish counterparts to sign a memorandum of understanding, paving the way for their accession to the alliance. Jens Stoltenberg, its secretary-general, said: “We now have an agreement that paves the way for Finland and Sweden to join Nato.” Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, hailed the breakthrough as "fantastic news", adding: "Sweden and Finland's membership will make our brilliant alliance stronger and safer." The deal was brokered following more than two hours of intense negotiation on the eve of a leadership summit in Madrid. At the summit, Nato leaders will on Wednesday agree to bring Finland and Sweden into the alliance, enlarging it to a 32-member bloc. Both Nordic countries were neutral throughout the Cold War but applied to join Nato … [Read more...] about Finland and Sweden move step closer to joining Nato, as Turkey drops opposition to membership

Vladimir Putin wants to ‘crush NATO’ says Ilya Ponomarev Sign up for our news briefing, including a daily special Russia-Ukraine edition SUBSCRIBE Invalid email We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info Russia ’s invasion of Ukraine prompted both Sweden and Finland to bolster their own security arrangements by applying for NATO membership. The military alliance is an exclusive club of the world’s most advanced economies and membership guarantees protection from outside threats. Related articles British Army: How much UK spends on defence Why has Nato compared China to Russia? When will Sweden and Turkey join NATO? The Scandinavian countries took a step closer to becoming NATO members today after receiving an invitation to … [Read more...] about Nato allies: The exact date Finland and Sweden could join alliance – Turkey major boost

Finnish President Sauli Niinisto on Tuesday announced that Turkey has agreed to support Finland and Sweden joining the NATO military alliance after weeks of angering partners by insisting it would veto the Scandinavian countries' accession. The announcement came ahead of the official start of a NATO summit in Madrid during a meeting between Niinisto, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The meeting was brokered by NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. The accord was sealed with a signing ceremony. Niinisto said the text, "underscores the commitment" of all three countries "to extend their full support against threats to each other's security." Turkey, too, issued a statement, saying it "got what it wanted," and that it had, "made significant gains in the fight against terrorist organizations." Turkey had previously accused the Scandinavian countries of harboring terrorists due to their perceived support for individuals … [Read more...] about Turkey ready to back Sweden, Finland NATO bids