US reiterates support for Finland, Sweden joining NATO
US State Department spokesperson Ned Price speaks during a news conference in Washington, on Mar 10, 2022. (Photo: Manuel Balce Ceneta/Pool via REUTERS)
WASHINGTON: The Biden administration on Tuesday (Jan 24) reiterated its support for both Finland and Sweden joining NATO at the earliest opportunity, after Helsinki said a pause was needed in trilateral talks with Turkey on the Nordic countries' application to join the military alliance.
State Department spokesperson Ned Price was repeatedly asked at a news briefing whether Washington would support Finland's possible accession without Sweden, but declined to comment on what he called a "hypothetical" and not a "live question right now."
"This has always been a discussion about Finland and Sweden … (about) moving from an alliance of 28 to an alliance of 30. That's what we want to see happen," Price said, adding that Finland joining NATO separately "is just a question that we're not entertaining."
Turkey's president said Sweden should not expect his country's support after a protest near the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm at the weekend, which included the burning of a copy of the Quran.
