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☆ Overtourism has hit Santa’s village, say Finnish locals
▼ + stars: | 2024-12-13 | by ( Story Ap | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Rovaniemi, Finland AP —Shuffling across icy ground on a cold December afternoon, lots of tourist groups poured into Santa Claus Village, a winter-themed amusement park perched on the edge of the Arctic Circle. However, not everyone is happy about the onslaught of visitors, 10 times the town’s population, each year at Christmas time. Rovaniemi counted a record 1.2 million overnight visitors in 2023, almost 30% growth on 2022, after rebounding from pandemic travel disruptions. “People want to travel to cool countries to see the snow, to see the Northern Lights, and, of course, to see Santa Claus,” she added. Santa Claus Village is a winter-themed amusement park perched on the edge of the Arctic Circle.

Persons: Saint Nick, ”, Elzbieta Nazaruk, “ I’m, it’s, Antti Pakkanen, Taina Torvela, James Brooks, “ overtourism, Sanna Karkkainen, Tiina Määttä, Ulla, Kirsikka, “, Joy Organizations: CNN, Finland AP, Santa, AP Locations: Rovaniemi, Finland, Santa Claus, Finnish Lapland, Santa, ”, Rovaniemi —, Tourism, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Malaga, Florence, Geneva, Berlin, Bordeaux, France, Germany, Rovaniemi’s, Bangkok, “ Rovaniemi

☆ Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban lauds new phase with Sweden ahead of vote on its NATO bid
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Jennifer Hauser | Tara John | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said his country had opened a new phase with Sweden during a joint press conference with Swedish counterpart Ulf Kristersson on Friday as Budapest prepares to ratify Stockholm’s long-delayed NATO bid. Orban, who said last week that the Hungarian Parliament would vote on ratification on Monday, met with Kristersson on Friday and announced at the press conference that Hungary had bought four fighter jets from Sweden. “Being members together in NATO we [will be] able to reconstruct the full trust towards each other,” Orban added later. Sweden and Finland applied for NATO membership in 2022 and Finland joined NATO in April 2023 – doubling the alliance’s border with Russia. But Sweden’s bid was mired in challenges.

Persons: Viktor Orban, Ulf Kristersson, Orban, Kristersson, “, ” Orban, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Vladimir Putin, Katalin Organizations: CNN, Swedish, Budapest, NATO, Russia, Gripen, Kurdistan Workers ’ Party, European Union Locations: Hungarian, Sweden, Hungary, Ukraine, Finland, Russia, Turkey

☆ Hungary can ratify Sweden’s NATO bid as soon as Feb 26, Orban says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( Catherine Nicholls | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Hungary can ratify Sweden’s NATO bid as soon as February 26 when the country’s parliament reconvenes, Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced on Saturday. “We are going in the direction that, at the start of parliament’s spring session, we can ratify Sweden’s accession to NATO.”According to the Hungarian government’s website, the parliament reconvenes for its spring session on February 26. Hungary is the last NATO member to approve Sweden’s accession to the military alliance. Last June, Orban’s party Fidesz told CNN that it expected Sweden to “allay its concerns” before the vote on Sweden’s accession to NATO. Finland joined NATO in April 2023 – doubling the alliance’s border with Russia – but Sweden’s bid was mired in challenges.

Persons: reconvenes, Viktor Orban, ” Orban, Orban’s, Orban, Jens Stoltenberg, “, Vladimir Putin, Katalin Organizations: CNN, NATO, Swedish, Fidesz, ”, Russia, European Union Locations: Hungary, Sweden, ” Sweden, Finland, Ukraine, Russia, Hungarian, Turkey

☆ Ukraine war live updates: Turkey approves Sweden's NATO bid, putting pressure on Hungary; death toll rises in Russian strikes
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Turkish lawmakers finally approved Sweden's NATO membership bid on Tuesday, clearing a major obstacle for the country to enter the military alliance after 20 months of delays. After decades of military nonalignment, Sweden and Finland applied to join NATO in May 2022, several months after Russia invaded Ukraine. After Ankara's decision to approve Sweden's entry to the defense bloc, Hungary is now the only NATO member yet to ratify Sweden's accession. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg welcomed the Turkish parliament's decision yesterday, and called on Hungary to follow suit. In other news, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian missile strikes on major Ukrainian cities on Tuesday killed 18 people and injured more than 130.

Persons: Jens Stoltenberg, Volodymyr Zelenskyy Organizations: NATO, Sweden's, Turkish Locations: Sweden, Finland, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, Hungary, Russian

CNN —The Turkish parliament voted Tuesday to approve Sweden’s NATO membership bid. Of the 346 members of parliament who voted, 287 were in favor of Sweden’s accession and 55 voted to reject it. However, on Tuesday, Hungary’s Prime Minister Victor Orban said he had invited his Swedish counterpart, Ulf Kristersson, to visit Hungary to negotiate the terms of Sweden’s accession. Sweden and Finland applied for NATO membership in May 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine earlier that year. Erdogan initially objected to Sweden’s membership bid, accusing Swedish officials of being too lenient on military groups, including the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

Persons: Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Victor Orban, Ulf Kristersson, Erdogan, Ben Cardin Organizations: CNN, Turkish, NATO, Foreign Affairs Commission, Hungary’s, Kurdistan Workers ’ Party, Foreign Locations: Turkish, Hungary, Sweden, Finland, Ukraine, Turkey, United States

☆ Turkish parliament commission to debate Sweden NATO bid Thursday
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

NATO, Turkish, Swedish and Finnish flags are seen in this illustration taken May 18, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsANKARA, Nov 14 (Reuters) - The Turkish parliament's foreign affairs commission will debate a bill approving Sweden's NATO membership on Thursday, according to the official agenda of the commission. President Tayyip Erdogan submitted the bill to parliament for ratification three weeks ago, in a move welcomed by NATO and Stockholm. The bill must be approved by parliament's foreign affairs commission before a vote by the full general assembly. NATO foreign ministers will meet in Brussels on Nov. 28-29.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, Jonathan Spicer Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, NATO, Thomson Locations: Rights ANKARA, Turkish, Stockholm, Turkey, Ankara, Sweden, Brussels, Finland, Ukraine, Hungary

☆ Erdogan Says He Will Try to Facilitate Sweden's NATO Bid Ratification
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-04 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said he would try to facilitate the parliamentary ratification of Sweden's NATO membership as much as possible, but added that Stockhom had still not taken sufficient action on Kurdish militants. Erdogan submitted a bill approving Sweden's NATO membership bid to parliament for ratification last month, a move welcomed by the alliance and Stockholm. Erdogan also said planned talks in parliament about Turkey's 2024 state budget would now take priority, suggesting that the approval of Sweden's NATO membership might not be rapid. "But we will try to facilitate the work (on ratifying Sweden's NATO bid) as much as possible. Finland's membership was sealed in April, but Sweden's bid had been held up by Turkey and Hungary.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Stockhom, Erdogan, Haberturk, Jason Neely, Gareth Jones Organizations: NATO, Kurdistan Workers Party Locations: ANKARA, Stockholm, Turkey, Kazakhstan, embargoes, Sweden, Finland, Ukraine, Hungary

☆ Erdogan says he will try to facilitate Sweden's NATO bid ratification
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ANKARA, Nov 4 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said he would try to facilitate the parliamentary ratification of Sweden's NATO membership as much as possible, but added that Stockhom had still not taken sufficient action on Kurdish militants. Erdogan submitted a bill approving Sweden's NATO membership bid to parliament for ratification last month, a move welcomed by the alliance and Stockholm. Erdogan also said planned talks in parliament about Turkey's 2024 state budget would now take priority, suggesting that the approval of Sweden's NATO membership might not be rapid. "But we will try to facilitate the work (on ratifying Sweden's NATO bid) as much as possible. Finland's membership was sealed in April, but Sweden's bid had been held up by Turkey and Hungary.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Stockhom, Erdogan, Haberturk, Jason Neely, Gareth Jones Organizations: NATO, Kurdistan Workers Party, Thomson Locations: ANKARA, Stockholm, Turkey, Kazakhstan, embargoes, Sweden, Finland, Ukraine, Hungary

☆ Turkish parliament won't speed up Sweden's NATO bid -committee chair
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Huseyin Hayatsever | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

President Tayyip Erdogan submitted the ratification bill for Sweden's NATO membership bid to parliament last month, a move welcomed by Stockholm as it would clear the way for it to join the Western defence alliance. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said he wants a "speedy vote" by Turkey's parliament and that the process was "going well". "Sweden's NATO membership is just one of the international agreements on our agenda waiting for ratification," Oktay told a meeting of lawmakers. The Sweden NATO membership bill must be approved by the committee before a vote by the full parliament, at which point Erdogan would sign it into law. Finland's membership was sealed in April, but Sweden's bid had been held up by Turkey and Hungary.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Ataturk, Cagla, Jens Stoltenberg, Fuat Oktay, Oktay, Erdogan, Sweden's, Huseyin Hayatsever, Jonathan Spicer, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, NATO, Sweden NATO, Kurdistan Workers ' Party, Thomson Locations: Anitkabir, Ankara, Turkey, Rights ANKARA, Turkish, Stockholm, Sweden, Finland, Ukraine, Hungary, Kurdistan

☆ Turkey's Erdogan submits Sweden's NATO bid to parliament for ratification -presidency
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan addresses lawmakers from his ruling AK Party at the Turkish Parliament in Ankara, Turkey October 11, 2023. NO ARCHIVES./File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsANKARA, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Monday submitted a bill approving Sweden's NATO membership bid to parliament for ratification, the presidency said, in a move welcomed by Stockholm that clears the way for it to join the Western defence alliance. "The Protocol on Sweden's NATO Accession was signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on October 23, 2023 and referred to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey," the presidency said on social media platform X without elaborating. Finland's membership was sealed in April, in a historic expansion of the alliance, but Sweden's bid had been held up by Turkey and Hungary. Erdogan has previously linked Sweden's NATO bid to U.S. support for its request.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, Sweden's, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Ulf Kristersson, Kristersson, Gumrukcu, Huseyin Hayatsever, Simon Johnson, Alex Richardson, Hugh Lawson Organizations: AK, Turkish, Presidential Press, Rights, NATO, Kurdistan Workers Party, European Union, Grand National Assembly of, Sweden's, Thomson Locations: Ankara, Turkey, Rights ANKARA, Stockholm, United States, Sweden, Grand National Assembly of Turkey, Finland, Ukraine, Hungary

However since parliament opened on Oct. 1, its foreign affairs commission, which would debate the NATO bid, has received almost 60 international agreements to review - excluding Sweden's, official data shows. A second person familiar with U.S.-Turkish talks said a rough proposal - in which each side would take steps toward ratifying the NATO bid on the one side, and the F-16s purchase on the other - had been delayed. IN NO RUSHTurkey, NATO's second-biggest military, is still expected to ultimately endorse Sweden's bid and could rapidly move on it. Addressing the drone incident, which occurred near U.S. troops on Oct. 5, Erdogan said last week: "Isn't Turkey a NATO ally of the U.S.? Finnish membership was sealed in April, marking an historic expansion of the Western defence bloc, but Sweden's bid remains held up by Turkey and Hungary.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Ulf Kristersson, Jens Stoltenberg, Yves Herman, Joe Biden, RUSH Turkey, NATO's, Sweden's, Erdogan, Yasar Guler, Humeyra Pamuk, Simon Johnson, Bernadette Baum Organizations: NATO, REUTERS, Rights, Washington, State Department, AK Party, U.S, U.S . State Department, RUSH, Kurdistan Workers Party, European Union, Turkish Defence, Swedish, U.S . Senate, White House, Lockheed Martin Corp, Palestinian, Hamas, aircraft, Thomson Locations: Swedish, Vilnius, Lithuania, Rights ANKARA, Turkey, Sweden, Ankara, United States, Syria, U.S, NATO, Finland, Russia, Ukraine, Hungary, Brussels, Stockholm, Helsinki, Iraq, Gaza, Riyadh

WASHINGTON, Sept 28 (Reuters) - The Senate Foreign Relations Committee's new chairman on Thursday said he would look at Turkey's $20 billion Lockheed Martin (LMT.N) F-16 fighter jet deal and that more issues than Sweden's ascension to NATO would affect the decision on lifting his predecessor's longstanding hold. Cardin said he had discussed Sweden's NATO accession with Turkish officials at a NATO ambassador's meeting on Wednesday. Leaders of the U.S. Senate and House foreign affairs panels review every major foreign arms sale. "Menendez being out of the picture is an advantage," Erdogan was quoted as telling reporters by Turkish media. The top Republican on the Senate panel, Senator Jim Risch, has put a hold on arms sales to Hungary over the issue.

Persons: Lockheed Martin, Ben Cardin, Cardin, Bob Menendez, Tayyip Erdogan's, Menendez, Nadine Menendez, Erdogan, Sweden's, Jim Risch, Patricia Zengerle, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Relations, Lockheed, Turkish, NATO, U.S . Senate, Kurdistan Workers Party, Republican, Thomson Locations: NATO, Sweden, Greece, Ankara, Stockholm, Turkey, Finland, Russia, Ukraine, Hungary, Budapest

☆ Sweden's NATO accession and Turkey's bid to buy F-16 jets should be kept separate -Erdogan
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Biden made a connection between the supply of F-16s and Turkish action in ratifying Sweden's application to join NATO, Erdogan said. After months of objections, Erdogan agreed at a NATO summit in July to forward Sweden's NATO bid to the Turkish parliament for ratification. "It is not possible for me to say 'yes' (to Sweden's NATO membership bid) alone unless such a decision is approved by (our) parliament." Stockholm recently voiced hope that Turkish lawmakers would ratify its NATO bid when they reconvene in October, as agreed at the NATO summit in July. While Finnish membership was sealed in April, Sweden's bid remains held up by Turkey and Hungary.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Adnan Abidi, Joe Biden's, Erdogan, Biden, Lockheed Martin Corp's, Jake Sullivan, extraditing, Sweden's, Krishn Kaushik, Aftab Ahmed, Huseyin Hayatsever, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, NATO, Lockheed, U.S . National, Kurdistan Workers Party, European Union, Turkish, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, Rights ANKARA, Turkey, Ankara, U.S, Washington, Turkish, Sweden, United States, Stockholm, Finland, Russia, Ukraine, Hungary, Budapest

☆ Sweden's NATO Accession and Turkey's Bid to Buy F-16 Jets Should Be Kept Separate, Erdogan Says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( Sept. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

ANKARA (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden's administration is linking F-16 fighter jet sales to Turkey with Turkish ratification of Sweden's NATO membership bid, and this "seriously upsets" Ankara, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday. Biden made a connection between the supply of F-16s and Turkish action in ratifying Sweden's application to join NATO, Erdogan said. After months of objections, Erdogan agreed at a NATO summit in July to forward Sweden's NATO bid to the Turkish parliament for ratification. "It is not possible for me to say 'yes' (to Sweden's NATO membership bid) alone unless such a decision is approved by (our) parliament." Stockholm recently voiced hope that Turkish lawmakers would ratify its NATO bid when they reconvene in October, as agreed at the NATO summit in July.

Persons: Joe Biden's, Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, Biden, Lockheed Martin Corp's, Jake Sullivan, extraditing, Sweden's, Krishn Kaushik, Aftab Ahmed, Huseyin Hayatsever, Mark Heinrich Organizations: NATO, Lockheed, U.S . National, Kurdistan Workers Party, European Union, Turkish Locations: ANKARA, Turkey, Ankara, New Delhi, U.S, Washington, Turkish, Sweden, United States, Stockholm, Finland, Russia, Ukraine, Hungary, Budapest

☆ Erdogan links Sweden's NATO membership to Turkey's EU accession
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Turkey's bid to join the EU has been frozen for years after membership talks were launched in 2005 under Erdogan's first term as prime minister. In a surprise change of tack, Erdogan on Monday linked Ankara's approval of Sweden's NATO bid to Turkey finally joining the EU. Sweden and Finland applied for NATO membership last year, abandoning policies of military non-alignment that had lasted through the decades of the Cold War in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. While Finland's NATO membership was green-lighted in April, Turkey and Hungary have yet to clear Sweden's bid. Erdogan also said that an end to the war between Ukraine and Russia would ease Kyiv's NATO membership process.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey's, Erdogan's, Erdogan, Huseyin Hayatsever, Ali Kucukgocmen, Toby Chopra, Alex Richardson Organizations: Union, NATO, EU, European Union, Kurdistan Workers Party, Ece Toksabay, Thomson Locations: ISTANBUL, Ankara, Turkey, Vilnius, Sweden, Finland, Ukraine, Hungary, Stockholm, Madrid, United States, Russia

☆ Erdogan says Turkey could approve Sweden’s NATO membership if Europeans ‘open way’ to EU membership
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday introduced a new condition for approving Sweden's membership in NATO, calling on European countries to "open the way" for Turkey to join the European Union. It was the first time that Erdogan linked his country's ambition to join the EU with Sweden's efforts to become a NATO member. The White House readout of the Biden-Erdogan call did not mention the issue of Turkish membership in the EU. Sullivan didn't mention the EU membership issue. Previously non-aligned Sweden and Finland applied for NATO membership last year following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Ulf Kristersson, Jens Stoltenberg, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, Joe Biden, Stoltenberg, Dana Spinant, Jake Sullivan, Biden, Sullivan, Vilnius —, Paul Levin, Levin, Tobias Billström, Billström Organizations: Swedish, NATO, Monday, European Union, U.S, EU, Biden, Institute for Turkish Studies, Stockholm University, SVT, Kurdistan Workers ' Party Locations: Vilnius, VILNIUS, Lithuania, Turkey, Lithuania's, Sweden, Ankara, Istanbul, Finland, Swedish, NATO, Madrid, Cyprus, Stockholm, Sweden's, United States, Turkish, Kurdistan, Hungary, Ukraine

Sweden and Finland applied for NATO membership last year, abandoning their policies of military non-alignment that had lasted through the decades of the Cold War in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. While Finland's NATO membership was green-lighted in April, Turkey and Hungary have yet to clear Sweden's bid. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson react during a meeting, on the eve of a NATO summit, in Vilnius, Lithuania July 10, 2023. "This has been a good day for Sweden," Kristersson told reporters, saying the joint statement on Monday represented "a very big step" toward the final ratification of Sweden's membership of NATO. After Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chief of staff said on Thursday that Budapest would now no longer block Sweden's NATO membership ratification, Turkish approval would remove the last hurdle for Swedish accession to NATO, applications for which must be approved by all members.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Sweden's, Erdogan, Jens Stoltenberg, Ulf Kristersson, Yves Herman / Pool Erdogan, Kristersson, Monday, Stoltenberg, Viktor Orban's, Joe Biden, Niklas Pollard, Andrius, Anna Ringstrom, Johan Ahlander, Ezgi, John Irish, William Maclean, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: NATO, Kurdistan Workers Party, EU, REUTERS, European Union, Finland's, Hungarian, Lockheed Martin Corp, Pawlak, Thomson Locations: VILNIUS, Ukraine, Sweden, Finland, Turkey, Hungary, Stockholm, Lithuanian, Vilnius, Swedish, Madrid, Ankara, United States, Lithuania, Turkey's, European, Budapest, Washington, Istanbul

☆ NATO's Stoltenberg says Turkey agrees to move ahead with Sweden's NATO bid
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

VILNIUS, July 10 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has agreed to forward to parliament Sweden's bid to join the NATO military alliance, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday, on the eve of a NATO summit in Vilnius. Stoltenberg declined to give a date for when Sweden's accession would be ratified by the Turkish parliament, the grand national assembly, which would decide on the exact timing. Applications to the alliance must be approved by all NATO members and while Finland's was given the go-ahead in April, Turkey and Hungary have held off on clearing Sweden's bid. Stockholm has been working hard at its bid ahead of the NATO summit in Vilnius, together with the United States and its allies, urging Turkey to abandon its opposition. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chief of staff said on Thursday that Budapest would not block Sweden's NATO membership ratification.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Sweden's, Jens Stoltenberg, Erdogan, Stoltenberg, Finland's, Viktor Orban's, John Irish, Sabine Siebold, Johan Ahlander, Anna Ringstrom, Justyna Pawlak, Niklas Pollard Organizations: NATO, Kurdistan Workers Party, Thomson Locations: VILNIUS, Vilnius, Sweden, Turkish, Finland, Ukraine, Turkey, Hungary, Stockholm, United States, Hungarian, Budapest

Turkey, along with Hungary, has been a stumbling block to Sweden's bid, which requires unanimous approval by all NATO members. Biden "conveyed his desire to welcome Sweden into NATO as soon as possible," the White House said in a statement. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said he would convene a meeting between Erdogan and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson in Vilnius on Monday. While Finland's NATO membership was green-lighted in April, Turkey and Hungary have yet to clear Sweden's bid. During their call, Biden and Erdogan also discussed the delivery of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, and Ukraine's aim to join NATO, according to the Turkish presidency's readout.

Persons: Joe Biden, Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, Biden, Jens Stoltenberg, Ulf Kristersson, Ezgi Erkoyun, Kanishka Singh, Hugh Lawson, Peter Graff, Leslie Adler Organizations: NATO, Kurdistan Workers Party, White, Monday, Thomson Locations: ISTANBUL, WASHINGTON, Sweden, Turkey, Hungary, Stockholm, Ankara, Turkish, Vilnius, Lithuania, Swedish, Finland, Ukraine

☆ Biden shows support for Sweden's NATO bid in talks with PM
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( Steve Holland | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, July 5 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden gave a show of support for Sweden's entry into NATO on Wednesday in talks with Sweden's prime minister, Ulf Kristersson, amid efforts to overcome opposition from fellow NATO ally Turkey. Biden, seated next to Kristersson in the Oval Office, told reporters he wanted to reiterate U.S. support for Sweden's accession to NATO. Kristersson thanked Biden for the invitation and said Sweden “highly appreciates” Biden’s support for NATO membership. Sweden and Finland applied for NATO membership last year, ditching long-held policies of military non-alignment after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Sweden, Turkey and NATO will meet in Brussels on Thursday to try to find a solution ahead of next week's NATO summit.

Persons: Joe Biden, Ulf Kristersson, Biden, Kristersson, Sweden “, Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, Steve Holland, Johan Ahlander, Heather Timmons, Bill Berkrot, Alistair Bell Organizations: NATO, Turkey, Kurdistan Workers Party, Thomson Locations: Vilnius, Lithuania, Turkey, Sweden, Finland, Ukraine, Hungary, Stockholm, United States, Brussels, Washington

☆ Sweden will not get Turkey's nod for NATO bid unless it stops sheltering 'terrorists' -Erdogan
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ANKARA, July 3 (Reuters) - Turkey will not lift its opposition to Sweden joining NATO unless it stops harbouring groups Ankara considers to be terrorists, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday. Sweden and Finland applied for NATO membership last year, ditching long-held policies of military non-alignment after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Applications for membership must be approved by all NATO members, but Turkey and Hungary have yet to clear Sweden's bid. Turkey expects Sweden to stop harbouring members of both groups, Erdogan said in a speech after a cabinet meeting. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg last month said that Sweden and Turkey would convene a high level meeting in Brussels on the possible accession of Sweden to NATO before the alliance's summit in Vilnius this month.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, Jens Stoltenberg, Eid, Huseyin Hayatsever, Ezgi, William Maclean Organizations: NATO, Kurdistan Workers ' Party, Thomson Locations: ANKARA, Turkey, Sweden, Ankara, Finland, Ukraine, Hungary, Kurdistan, Stockholm, Madrid, Brussels, Vilnius

The exchange took place when Biden called Erdogan to congratulate him on his victory in Turkey's presidential election on Sunday. And so we'll be back in touch with one another," Biden told reporters before departing the White House for Delaware. Bids for NATO membership must be approved by all NATO members. A Turkish Air Force F16 jet lands at a new airport under construction in Istanbul, Turkey September 22, 2018. Sweden and Finland applied for NATO membership last year, ditching long-held policies of military non-alignment following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

☆ Finnish centre-right eyes coalition talks as defeated Marin considers future
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( Anne Kauranen | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Finland's Prime Minister and Social Democrats leader Sanna Marin speaks during a news conference at the parliament on the day of the parliamentary elections, in Helsinki, Finland April 2, 2023. REUTERS/Essi LehtoHELSINKI, April 3 (Reuters) - Outgoing Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin was left to consider her future after she conceded defeat in a tight parliamentary election on Sunday that handed her centre-right rival Petteri Orpo the right to try and form a coalition. Despite gaining three seats, Marin's left wing Social Democratic Party (SDP) came third with 43 of parliament's 200 seats behind Orpo's centre-right National Coalition Party with 48 seats and the nationalist Finns on 46. In turn, Marin's Social Democrats rallied voters to support them in their defence of the Nordic welfare model of cradle-to-grave services from free education and affordable healthcare to decent pensions, against Orpo's spending cuts. During Marin's time as prime minister, Finland faced coronavirus lockdowns, the energy crisis and soaring consumer price inflation, and the country is expected to undergo a mild recession this year.

☆ Factbox: Finland's outgoing Prime Minister Sanna Marin
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Finland's Prime Minister and Social Democrats leader Sanna Marin speaks at the party's parliamentary election event in Helsinki, Finland April 2, 2023. Lehtikuva/Emmi Korhonen via REUTERSHELSINKI, April 2 (Reuters) - Here is a profile of Finland's outgoing Prime Minister Sanna Marin, whose left-wing Social Democrats lost a parliamentary election on Sunday, although they might still join the next coalition with election winner the National Coalition Party. Born in 1985 in Helsinki, she grew up near Finland's south-western industrial hub of Tampere with her mother and her mother's girlfriend. Only six months in, then-party chair Antti Rinne was forced to resign over his handling of labour strikes, and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) chose Marin to replace him as prime minister. Marin soon found herself managing Finland's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and then Europe's energy crunch caused by neighbouring Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

☆ Sweden less sure it will join NATO by July - TT
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

STOCKHOLM, March 30 (Reuters) - Sweden's foreign minister said on Thursday he was no longer sure his country would be able to join NATO by July, after fresh signs of objections from Hungary. Sweden applied to join the military alliance after Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year, but Hungary and fellow NATO member Turkey held off from approving the bid. Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said last week that "it goes without saying" Sweden would become a member by the time of a NATO summit in Vilnius in July. Finland applied to join NATO at the same time as Sweden. Its NATO membership was approved by the Hungarian parliament on Monday and is expected to be ratified by Turkey soon.

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