Turkiye President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has expressed support for Finland’s bid to join NATO. During a press conference on Wednesday, Erdogan said that Turkiye would back Finland’s application for NATO membership, as well as other countries seeking to join the alliance.
“We are in favor of Finland’s candidacy to join NATO,” Erdogan said. “We will continue to support Finland, as well as other countries, in their bids to join NATO.”
The Turkish leader also said that his country was ready to help Finland better understand the requirements for NATO membership. “We are ready to provide technical advice and share our experiences with Finland,” Erdogan said.
Finland has long been seen as a potential NATO member, having previously expressed an interest in joining the alliance. However, the country has yet to officially begin the process of applying for NATO membership.
In recent years, Turkiye has been increasing its support for Finland’s bid to join NATO. In 2017, the two countries signed a joint action plan, which included cooperation on defense and security issues.