A turning point is imminent in neutral Finland. It is about to become a NATO member country. Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto on Turkey’s blockade, the threat to great neighbor Russia and Putin’s hybrid war against the West.
Die Presse: Your country’s admission to NATO is not yet complete. What are the steps for final ratification by all 30 member states?
Pekka Haavisto: From the Finnish point of view, we ended our neutrality in 1995, when we joined the European Union. Militarily, however, we were not aligned. Now, together with Sweden, we have decided to join NATO. We expected the joining process to be completed quickly. We started the ratification process at the NATO summit in Madrid in June. 28 countries ratified membership very quickly. Two countries still stand out: Hungary and Turkey. We expect the green light from Hungary this year. We are in dialogue with Turkey regarding the objections it raises and we hope to resolve them soon.
The Turkish president is demanding a series of concessions. To what extent is his government accommodating Turkey?
Turkey is concerned about internal security, the fight against terrorism and, above all, its problems with the PKK. Of course we listen to all concerns and see what can be done in accordance with our legislation and international agreements. There should be more resistance towards Sweden. But we still have a clear preference for Finland and Sweden to join NATO.