Finland is voting to join NATO, but Hungary is joining Turkey as an obstacle


Finland's parliament on Tuesday started debating legislation to finalize the country's bid to join NATO, and lawmakers are expected to approve the bill on Wednesday. After the legislation passes, President Sauli Niinisto will have about three months to sign it, preferably alongside Sweden, and send Finland's instruments of NATO accession to Washington, AFP reports. Finland would then be part of the Western military alliance as soon as all 30 member states ratify its membership, as 28 countries have already done. Only Turkey and Hungary have held off.
Turkey has threatened to block Sweden's accession over Stockholm's perceived tolerance of Kurdish groups Ankara calls terrorists. But Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu reiterated Monday that Finland will likely get its vote, and probably before Ankara works out its differences with Sweden. Sweden and Finland would prefer to join NATO at the same time, but Finland's vote on Wednesday is an acknowledgment that it may accede separately if Sweden runs into roadblocks.
That leaves Hungary.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Hungary's parliament is starting debate Wednesday on approving both countries' bids to join NATO, but the final vote isn't expected until the second half of March — and there's no guarantee it will go in Finland or Sweden's favor. "While NATO members are more concerned about the potential of Turkey to stonewall accession for the Nordic countries," Politico reports, "the government of Viktor Orbán has also been dragging its heels on parliamentary approval" and "there are signs of trouble ahead."
Orbán, whose Fidez party controls Hungary's parliament and other levers of power, said last Friday that "while we support Sweden and Finland's accession to NATO in principle, we first need to have some serious discussions." Specifically, he pointed at previous criticism from Sweden and Finland on Hungary's veer toward authoritarianism and away from representative democracy. "How, this argument runs, can anyone want to be our ally in a military system while they're shamelessly spreading lies about Hungary?" Orbán asked.
"Orbán's comments have confirmed fears in Brussels that the Hungarian leader could try to use his leverage over NATO enlargement to extract concessions on rule-of-law issues," Politico reports.
Finland, which shares a 832-mile border with Russia, the longest in the European Union, is eager to finalize NATO membership and plans to do so before April 2 national elections.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Denmark’s record-setting arms purchase raises eyebrows and anxiety
IN THE SPOTLIGHT By eschewing American-made munitions for their European counterparts, the Danish government is bracing for Russian antagonism and sending a message to the West
-
Is hate speech still protected speech?
Talking Points Pam Bondi’s threat to target hate speech raises concerns
-
‘Mental health care is health care’
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Russian drone tests Romania as Trump spins
Speed Read Trump is ‘resisting congressional plans to impose newer and tougher penalties on Russia’s energy sector’
-
'Who can save France now?'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
House posts lewd Epstein note attributed to Trump
Speed Read The estate of Jeffrey Epstein turned over the infamous 2003 birthday note from President Donald Trump
-
Supreme Court allows 'roving' race-tied ICE raids
Speed Read The court paused a federal judge's order barring agents from detaining suspected undocumented immigrants in LA based on race
-
South Korea to fetch workers detained in Georgia raid
Speed Read More than 300 South Korean workers detained in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant will be released
-
DC sues Trump to end Guard 'occupation'
Speed Read D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb argues that the unsolicited military presence violates the law
-
RFK Jr. faces bipartisan heat in Senate hearing
Speed Read The health secretary defended his leadership amid CDC turmoil and deflected questions about the restricted availability of vaccines
-
White House defends boat strike as legal doubts mount
Speed Read Experts say there was no legal justification for killing 11 alleged drug-traffickers