Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Monday, Mar 23, 2026

Finland may need to join NATO without Sweden, foreign minister says

Finland may need to join NATO without Sweden, foreign minister says

A joint accession remains Finland’s priority, but it might have to reconsider it if Sweden’s bid is delayed further, Pekka Haavisto said.
Finland could reconsider its joint NATO bid with Sweden if Stockholm’s application is delayed further, Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said Tuesday, a day after Turkey said it would not support the Swedish candidacy.

“You have to assess the situation,” Haavisto told Finnish public broadcaster Yle. “Has something happened that the longer term would prevent the Swedish project from going ahead? It [is] too early to take a position on that.”

Finland and Sweden applied to join NATO together last October, as a consequence of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Turkey and Hungary are the last two members of the military alliance who still need to ratify the joint bid.

While Budapest has pledged it would sign off the bid, Ankara is yet to follow suit.

But relations between Sweden and Turkey have taken a turn for the worse in recent days, after a far-right Danish-Swedish politician burned a copy of the Quran during a protest in Stockholm last Saturday.

On Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the burning was an insult, and that Sweden would not receive “any support from [Turkey] on the NATO issue.”

Haavisto seemed more restrained in an interview to Reuters, also on Tuesday morning. When asked if Finland could join NATO on its own, the Foreign Minister said: “I do not see the need for a discussion about that.”

Haavisto also told Reuters the three-way talks between Finland, Sweden and Turkey on NATO accession would be paused “for a couple of weeks” until “the dust has settled after the current situation.”

“No conclusions should be drawn yet,” Haavisto added.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Trump to Deliver Keynote Address at Saudi-Backed Investment Summit in Miami Beach
Saudi Arabia and Kuwait Press Ahead With Energy Agreements Despite Regional Conflict
Can Saudi Arabia’s Yanbu Port Replace Hormuz? Capacity Limits Test Critical Oil Lifeline
Saudi Arabia Detects Ballistic Missiles as Regional Tensions Escalate in Gulf
Saudi Aramco Reduces Oil Shipments to Asia for Second Consecutive Month
Saudi Aramco Reduces Oil Shipments to Asia for Second Consecutive Month
Saudi Arabia and UAE Push Ahead With Major Deals Despite Iran-Related Uncertainty
Formula One Cancels Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Grands Prix Amid Escalating Regional Tensions
Pakistan Signals Strategic Realignment Toward Saudi Arabia Amid Regional Tensions
Saudi Arabia Cuts Oil Shipments to Asia as Regional Conflict Disrupts Key Export Routes
Saudi Arabia Moves to Contain Regional Escalation as Houthis Signal Readiness to Join Conflict
Saudi Arabia Signals Independent Nuclear Strategy Unaffected by Iran Tensions
Saudi Arabia Signals Independent Nuclear Strategy Unaffected by Iran Tensions
Egypt Reaffirms Strong Support for Saudi Arabia as Sisi Condemns Iran’s Gulf Attacks
Saudi Stocks Close Higher as Tadawul Index Gains 0.55% on Broad Sector Strength
Iran Fires Ballistic Missiles Toward Riyadh as Gulf Conflict Intensifies
Barcelona Midfielder Marc Casadó Attracts €40 Million Interest from Saudi Clubs
Strait of Hormuz Tensions Rise as Saudi Arabia Opens Key Air Base to US Forces
Saudi Arabia Confronts Strategic Turning Point as Iran Conflict Redefines Regional Alliances
Saudi Arabia Intercepts Missile as Two Others Land in Remote Area Without Casualties
Saudi Expulsion of Iranian Military Attaché Raises Doubts Over Fragile Riyadh–Tehran Rapprochement
Saudi Arabia’s Strategic East–West Pipeline Gains Global Attention as Energy Routes Face Growing Risks
Iran Reportedly Reduces Strikes on Saudi Arabia Amid Concerns Over Strong Retaliation
Saudi Arabia Criticises Israeli Strikes in Southern Syria Amid Rising Regional Tensions
Egypt and Saudi Arabia Warn Iran’s Actions Threaten Stability Across the Gulf
Egypt and Saudi Arabia Warn Iran’s Actions Threaten Stability Across the Gulf
Saudi Arabia Unveils Comprehensive 2026 Roadmap to Streamline Company Formation
Saudi-UAE Tensions Reveal Emerging Rivalry at the Heart of Gulf Power Dynamics
Saudi Arabia Launches Gulf Maritime Support Initiative to Safeguard Shipping
Saudi Arabia Expands US Military Access as UAE Braces for Prolonged Iran Conflict
Saudi Arabia Expels Iranian Diplomats Amid Escalating Regional Tensions
Saudi Arabia’s Edarat Wins Major Data Centre Deal with Regional Bank
Iran Intensifies Gulf Offensive as Saudi Arabia Intercepts Dozens of Drones
Regional Powers Hold Security Talks as Turkey Seeks New Strategic Pact
Asian Refiners Urge Saudi Arabia to Revise Oil Pricing Mechanism Amid War-Driven Volatility
Gulf States Weigh US Base Access and Military Alignment as Iran War Intensifies
IRGC Claims Strikes on Israel, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia as Conflict Widens
Saudi Arabia Intercepts Multiple Drones Amid Continued Iranian-Linked Attacks
Remains of Fallen Soldier Repatriated Following Death in Saudi Arabia
Iran Tensions Challenge Saudi Arabia’s Strategic Shift to Red Sea Oil Exports
Saudi Arabia Turns to Alternative Export Routes as Hormuz Disruption Strains Oil Flows
Saudi Arabia and UAE Move Closer to Backing US-Israeli Campaign Against Iran
Saudi Arabia Signals Readiness for Military Response as Iran Tensions Escalate
Saudi Arabia Warns Oil Could Surge Beyond $180 as Iran Conflict Disrupts Global Supply
Saudi Arabia Reports Drone Strike on Key Red Sea Refinery in Yanbu
United States Urges Citizens to Leave Saudi Arabia Amid Escalating Regional Conflict
Former Media Executive Chronicles Rise of Saudi Crown Prince in New Book
Saudi Aramco–Exxon Refinery in Yanbu Targeted in Latest Wave of Iranian Attacks
Greek-Operated Patriot System Intercepts Iranian Missiles Over Saudi Arabia
Asian Refiners Urge Saudi Arabia to Revise Oil Pricing as War Upends Markets
×