Blinken wants Sweden, Finland to join NATO ASAP

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday called for Sweden and Finland to be accepted into NATO “as quickly as possible,” although his Turkish counterpart dismissed the possibility of any link between their accession and Turkiye’s request for F-16 fighter jets. Turkiye has delayed the Nordic countries admission to the trans-Atlantic defense alliance, citing concerns over terrorism.

Turkish Foreign Minister repeated Turkiye’s stance that it would be willing to approve Finland joining NATO before Sweden. Turkiye has complained about what it sees as Stockholm’s tolerance of support for the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, which has waged a 39-year insurgency against Ankara.