After Russia invaded Ukraine last year, Sweden and Finland applied to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a Western self-defense alliance.
All 30 NATO members must agree to allow both countries to become members. But Turkey still bans both countries after anti-Turkey protests in Sweden.
What is NATO?
NATO is a military alliance for self-defense. It was founded in 1949 by 12 countries including the US, the UK, Canada and France.
Members agree that it will help each other If they are faced with an armed attack
NATO’s original aim was to Challenge Soviet Expansion in Europe After World War II
After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, many Eastern European countries, former allies of Russia in the Warsaw Pact, were allowed to join NATO.
Russia has long argued that the admission of these countries to NATO is a threat to Russia’s security. Russia has strongly opposed Ukraine’s bid to join NATO, worrying that it would encroach too close to Russia’s borders.
Why is Turkey depriving Sweden and Finland?
In June 2022, Sweden and Finland simultaneously applied to join NATO.
All 30 NATO members are required to certify new members who join. There are currently 28 certifiers. Only Turkey and Hungary remained.
Turkey said last year that Sweden and Finland must first hand over around 150 Turkish citizens whom Turkish authorities consider “terrorists” to Turkey.
These are alleged to be members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a group banned in Turkey. And he is someone the Turkish government says. He joined the failed coup attempt in 2016.
Sweden and Finland said that extradition is a matter of court, but both countries held discussions with Turkey and tried to reach a consensus. for Turkey to agree to allow both countries to join NATO. The next round of talks is scheduled for February.
In January, activists staged a protest against Turkey’s attack on Kurdish militias in Syria.
They hung upside down a statue of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
About a week later, a far-right group burned a copy of the Qur’an.
President Erdogan So canceled the negotiations that were going to be held. Amid criticism of the protests
Dr Jonathan Eyal, a European security expert at the Royal United Services Institute, said he did not expect Erdogan to reach an agreement with Sweden or Finland. Until after the Turkish presidential election in May
“He is going to use this issue to improve his image,” he said. He is a key figure in international affairs,” he said.
Why Sweden and Finland Want to Join NATO
Sweden is across Russian territory in the Baltic Sea. Finland shares a 1,340 kilometer border with Russia.
Both countries have chosen neutrality instead of joining NATO for 70 years.
But Russia’s invasion of Ukraine made both countries change their minds. and asked to join as a member “Urgently”
Professor Tracey German from the Department of Defense Studies at King’s College London said: “The aggressive behavior makes them feel that the stability of the entire bloc that NATO provides is what they want. “
Membership of the two countries in NATO would give NATO an additional 280,000 troops (including reservists) and more than 200 fighter jets.
However, Professor German said that if Turkey (and Hungary) prevents the two countries from continuing to join NATO, it could be dangerous for both countries.
“Keeping Sweden and Finland in this gray area NATO does not guarantee the stability of the entire bloc. made them defenseless from NATO and it was an embarrassing situation,” he said.
“They may be open to pressure or interference from Russia.”
How NATO nations support Ukraine
The United States is sending 31 M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, the United Kingdom is sending 14 Challenger 2 tanks, and Germany is sending 14 Leopard II tanks.
Several other countries, including Poland, Finland, Norway, the Netherlands and Spain, have said they will supply their own Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine.
They also sent a number of weapons such as Air defense Systems, Haimars long range missile systems, anti-tank missiles, armored fighting vehicles, self-propelled artillery, ballistic missiles and drones.
However, the US refused to send F-16 fighter jets. and other fighter jets to Ukraine in case these fighter jets could be used to attack targets in Russia. which Russia can interpret as War
Why isn’t NATO sending troops to help Ukraine?
Ever since Russia invaded Ukraine NATO member states have sent 40,000 troops to Eastern Europe in the territories of member states Lithuania and Poland. And another 300,000 troops are ready for action.
However, no NATO troops were involved in the fighting in Ukraine.
This is because sending troops there would put NATO in direct conflict with Russia. And it made countries in the alliance, like the United States, think that this could make the war worse.
for the same reason NATO member states have not yet established a no-fly zone over Ukraine.
Why didn’t Ukraine join NATO?
NATO told Ukraine in 2008 that it could join the bloc in the future, but NATO recently rejected Ukraine’s bid for membership. “In a hurry”
Because Article 5 of the NATO Charter states that if a member of a nation is attacked All members will help to defend
So if Ukraine is a member of NATO In principle NATO member countries will go to war against Russia.
news BBC Thai publish on the website Prachachat Business It is a collaboration between two news organizations.
