Enlargement of NATO

Türkiye has announced its decision to ratify Finland's bid to join NATO as a result of the latter's concrete and sincere measures against terror organizations while delaying the bid of Sweden.

Türkiye welcomes the steps taken by Finland and Sweden against the illegal PKK group, but they are not enough to ratify the Nordic countries' NATO bid, presidential spokesperson Ibrahim Kalın said on March 9.

We are not at the one-year anniversary of the war, as Western governments and media claim. This is the nine-year anniversary of the war. And that makes a big difference.

US President Joe Biden wants both Finland and Sweden in NATO and is more focused on both countries joining rather than them doing so at the same time, the White House said on Thursday.

Europe's security environment has changed since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Neutrality no longer guarantees security from Russian aggression. In a historic turning point for Finland and Sweden, both Nordic countries have applied to join NATO.

Serbia's membership in the European Union is supported by 43 percent of citizens, a third is against it, and the reforms required for membership are supported by two thirds of citizens, according to a new public opinion survey conducted by the Ministry of European Integration, Beta reported.

The Biden administration is moving ahead with its intention to supply Turkey with 40 new F-16 fighter jets and upgrade 80 of the country's older ones.

Two provocative incidents in Stockholm this month have energised Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan ahead of tight elections and dimmed Sweden and Finland's hopes of joining NATO before the summer, diplomats, analysts and opposition politicians say.

The statement said that the goal of the visit is "strengthening defense relations in the region and strengthening maritime security in the waters of NATO member states."
The U.S. ship, it is added, is the flagship of Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2).

Türkiye's president cast serious doubt on NATO's expansion on Jan. 23 after warning Sweden not to expect support for its bid for membership into the military alliance following the provocative Quran burning incident.