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๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท The process of Sweden and Finland acceding to NATO membership is not over yet. But recent developments show that a delay is inevitable due to tense relations between Turkey and Sweden.

28 member states of NATO, out of 30, have already approved Sweden and Finlandโ€™s accession to the alliance. After Hungaryโ€™s ratification, there is a risk that Turkey would be labelled as the sole gatekeeper. Still, it is not likely for Turkey to hurry up ratification. In May, there will be parliamentary and presidential elections, and the issue has already become a feature of domestic politics in Turkey.

Looking at the current equation, there are three scenarios before us:
 
1๏ธโƒฃ First, Turkey may decide to ratify the accession of Sweden and Finland to NATO before the elections. Such a scenario would necessitate a shift in the position of Stockholm, which would include the prevention of PKK protests, measures being taken against provocative demonstrations, and the extradition of terrorism suspects to Turkey.

2๏ธโƒฃ Second, Turkey may decide to ratify the accession of Finland to NATO and leave Sweden in the waiting room. This possibility has been articulated by Turkish officials, including President ErdoฤŸan himself. Nevertheless, the Finnish officials have declared that they would like to join the alliance together with Sweden. Still, any change in the position of Finland may push this scenario forward. Ratifying Finlandโ€™s membership to NATO can help the AK Party explain itself more easily to the alliance rather than being portrayed as a gatekeeper.

3๏ธโƒฃ The third scenario is leaving the ratification to a date after the elections in May. In this case, there is a risk that Finland and Sweden may not participate in the summit in Vilnius as full members. 

The AK Party has a conservative constituency and the issue has already become a matter of defending the dignity of Islam and Turkey. Thus, the Turkish president will use any shift in the position of Stockholm as leverage in the elections, while the stubbornness of Sweden legitimises Turkeyโ€™s position to blockade the expansion.

Looking at this picture, the dynamics of domestic politics in Turkey and Sweden have shaped the future of the North Atlantic Alliance, writes Hasan Selim ร–zertem, Ankara-based political analyst.

https://valdaiclub.com/a/highlights/turkey-s-relations-with-sweden-the-puzzle-of-nato/

#ModernDiplomacy #Turkey #NATO #Sweden #Finland

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๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ฎ Despite all its previous achievements and innovative potential, the Finnish economy is currently beset by a number of serious structural problems, including:

๐Ÿ”น a decline in production and a slowdown in economic growth,

๐Ÿ”น significant consumer and industrial inflation,

๐Ÿ”น high unemployment, a shortage of skilled labour,

๐Ÿ”น a chronic budget deficit with a rising public debt,

๐Ÿ”น a negative trade balance, and a decline in foreign trade, especially with Russia, which had been one of Finlandโ€™s most important trade and economic partners for decades.

Globalisation, which once had a significant beneficial impact on the Finnish economy, is now in a transitional stage, and Finlandโ€™s position is no exception, as there is growing evidence that the country has begun to lag behind in terms of investment attractiveness, education, competencies and labour resources, Azam Muradov writes.

https://valdaiclub.com/a/highlights/finland-in-pursuit-of-a-welfare-society/

#Multipolarity_and_Connectivity #Finland #economy

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