TOPLINE 

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the “door is open” for Finland and Sweden to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization after reaching an agreement with Turkey to lift its veto on admitting the two Scandinavian countries to the military alliance in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

KEY FACTS

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed to lift the country’s block on the Nordic countries entering the alliance Tuesday afternoon, one month after the countries submitted formal applications to join the 30-country alliance, Stoltenberg said in a press conference Tuesday, ahead of a summit in Madrid.

Stoltenberg said the addition of the two Baltic countries “will change the whole security situation in the Baltic region,” saying it would help not just Finland and Sweden, but the entire alliance.

The next step is for NATO member nations to vote on whether Finland and Sweden can join the alliance, Stoltenberg said.

The three countries also agreed to enhance their cooperation on counter-terrorism, including full support from Finland and Sweden to combat “terrorist” activity – including the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a Kurdish separatist group that has been fighting Turkish forces for over four decades.

KEY BACKGROUND

Erdogan’s opposition to Finland and Sweden joining NATO stems from the two countries’ support of Kurdish groups that he considers terrorists. Erdogan also accused Sweden of supplying weapons to the PKK. In May, he blocked a fast-track effort to start talks with the two countries, days after they submitted official applications to join NATO. Last month, President Joe Biden said they have the “total, complete backing” of the United States. Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly also said she will support their entry into the alliance. The announcement follows NATO’s pledge on Monday for 260,000 additional troops (300,000 overall) and increased military spending as part of a defensive “overhaul” in response to the Ukraine war. Stoltenberg did not say where the troops will be deployed.

CRUCIAL QUOTE

Stoltenberg said Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – now entering its fourth month – is “the biggest security crisis in decades,” and that “President Putin is getting more NATO on its borders.”

CHIEF CRITIC

In an interview in May, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia “will see what threats are created for us” if Finland and Sweden join NATO, suggesting his response could involve nuclear weapons, according to Reuters’ translation of his comments.