The Swedish Foreign Minister signed the request to join NATO

Sweden’s request for NATO membership was signed by Foreign Minister Anne Linde, according to Swedish media.

“This is a big and serious thing, as if we ‘landed’ on what we think is best for Sweden. We estimate that the accession process will take about a year,” said the Swedish Foreign Minister. Following this move, Sweden’s application for NATO membership will be submitted together with that of Finland.

Swedish media have reported that it has not yet been confirmed when Sweden’s ambassador to NATO, Axel Verhoff, will forward the document to the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in Brussels.

It is noted that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that will not allow Sweden and Finland to join NATO due to their attitude towards the Kurdish fighters, a fact that overturns the plans to strengthen the military alliance after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as broadcast by the Bloomberg agency.

In a press conference in Ankara late Monday, Erdogan voiced Turkish opposition to NATO’s enlargement plan.

Borrell: I hope NATO will overcome Turkey’s objections to Finland and Sweden

Finland and Sweden will receive strong support from member states, EU High Representative Josep Borrell said at a meeting of the Council of Defense Ministers in Brussels.

He noted that the two countries’ decision to apply for NATO membership increases unity and power and is the opposite of what Putin would like.

Asked about Turkey’s reaction to the decision by Finland and Sweden, Josep Borrell expressed the hope that “NATO will overcome its (Turkey) objections”.