Hungary's parliament has finally approved ratifying Finland's NATO accession after months of delays, European Pravda reported on March 27.
The approval of the Turkish parliament is the last remaining hurdle before Finland officially becomes a member of the alliance. Apart from Hungary and Turkey, all other NATO members have ratified Finland's bid.
Finland, along with Sweden, submitted their applications in May 2022 to join NATO after years of military neutrality. As per NATO's rules, each current member of the alliance must support a membership bid.
The cause of the delay can allegedly be traced back to Hungary's ongoing problems with the European Union.
The bloc froze billions in funds to Budapest over concerns regarding corruption and the rule of law. According to an expert cited by the Associated Press in its reporting on March 16, Hungary's delay was likely intended to make Finland and Sweden push for the release of the funds.
Turkey's objection to Finland and Sweden joining NATO stemmed primarily from providing refuge to members of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which Turkey has long designated a terrorist organization.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan met on March 17 with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto in Ankara, Reuters reported on March 17.
Erdogan changed his stance on Finland's NATO bid after he received reassurances that Finland would address the concerns over the PKK members living in their country, according to Reuters.
Thaisa Semenova
(Updated: )
