Turkey May Veto Finland, Sweden NATO Membership
The rationale could have less to do with behind-the-scenes pressure from the Kremlin than it does with regional Mediterranean issues and Turkish domestic politics.

Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, threw cold water on a much anticipated bid by Sweden and Finland to join the NATO military alliance, saying on Friday that Turkey, a full NATO member, was “not of a favorable opinion” about the possibility.
The rationale could have less to do with behind-the-scenes pressure from the Kremlin, which is squarely opposed to any expansion of the Western military alliance, than it does with regional Mediterranean issues and Turkish domestic politics.
Mr. Erdogan explained to reporters that in his view Sweden and other Scandinavian countries have allegedly supported Kurdish militants and others considered by Turkey to be terrorists. He furthermore accused Greece, also a member of NATO, of using the alliance against Turkey, and said that Ankara did not want to see a repeat of that “mistake.”
Meanwhile, a report by the Swedish government on the changed security environment facing the Nordic country after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine says Moscow would react negatively to Sweden joining NATO and launch several countermeasures.
The Swedish government’s security policy analysis, which will be used as a basis for Prime Minister Andersson’s Cabinet to decide whether to seek membership in the Western military alliance, was presented to Swedish lawmakers Friday.
Sweden’s governing Social Democratic Party, led by Ms. Andersson, is expected to disclose its decision on Sunday. The report pointed to NATO membership carrying a number of advantages for Sweden — above all the collective security provided by the 30-member military alliance.
The president and prime minister of Nordic neighbor Finland said Thursday they’re in favor of rapidly applying for NATO membership, paving the country’s way to formally announce a membership bid in the coming days.
Opposition to NATO’s expansion to Finland and Sweden is coming from some other unexpected quarters. Earlier this month, the Croatian president, Zoran Milanović, said he would block the admission of the two Nordic countries at the NATO summit in Madrid if he is the one representing Croatia, after previously voicing his opposition to the two countries’ possible NATO accession.
While the Croatian parliament is expected to endorse Sweden and Finland’s application, Euractiv reported, under the Croatian constitution the president is the supreme commander of the Croatian army and has a say in foreign policy.
As for Mr. Erdogan, he did not say outright that he would block any accession attempt the two Nordic nations might make, but NATO takes all its decisions by consensus, meaning that each of the 30 member countries has a potential veto over who can join. NATO’s secretary-general, Jens Stoltenberg, has said that Finland and Sweden, should they formally apply to join the world’s biggest security organization, would be welcomed with open arms.