Biden supports Finland and Sweden’s ‘historic’ NATO membership applications

*Paromita Das
Following reports that Turkey’s President Erdogan had stymied NATO talks with Finland and Sweden, US Vice President Joe Biden backed the Nordic countries’ bids.

While their bid is being considered, “the United States will work with Finland and Sweden to remain vigilant against any threats to our shared security, and to deter and confront aggression or the threat of aggression,” Biden said.
On Tuesday, Sweden and Finland jointly applied for NATO membership. Biden stated his strong support for the “historic applications.”

President Erdogan, on the other hand, has accused both countries of harboring terrorists, specifically the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which Ankara has designated as a terrorist organization.

Erodgan went even further, telling officials from both countries not to “bother” coming to Turkey for talks.

Sweden and Finland had been neutral in European conflicts for decades. but after President Putin ordered the “special military operation” against Ukraine, pressure on both countries to join NATO grew. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken previously supported Sweden and Finland’s bid to join the European military alliance, while NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated that the process will be “swift and smooth.”