Sanna Marin says delay in Finland & Sweden's NATO membership harms bloc's credibility

Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said on Tuesday that the lack of ratification of Finland and Sweden's NATO membership by some member countries is detrimental to the credibility of the bloc and its commitment to an open door policy. "We would have hoped to become members of NATO already, Finland and Sweden fulfill all the criteria as it has been mentioned and we are yet waiting and of course this strains the open door policy of NATO as well, it has to do with NATO’s credibility, because we fill all the criteria, but this is in the hands of Turkey and Hungary," she said during a press conference with NATO's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, as per a report from Sputnik. 

In the aftermath of Russia's military intervention in Ukraine, Finland and Sweden submitted their applications for NATO membership in May 2022. By the close of the year, 28 out of 30 NATO member countries had ratified their applications, with the exceptions of Hungary and Turkey. Ankara's primary rationale for withholding its approval was due to the ties between Helsinki and Stockholm and certain groups linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party, which Turkey perceives as a terrorist organisation.

The Quran burning incident did not help

In early January 2023, fresh tensions arose after a far-right extremist set fire to a Quran outside the Turkish embassy in Stockholm. Ankara swiftly denounced the act, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declaring that Turkey could not endorse Sweden's aspirations for NATO membership in light of the incident.

What is NATO's open door policy?

NATO's open door policy is a guiding principle of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which is an alliance of countries committed to collective defense against potential threats to their security. The policy is based on the belief that any country that meets the necessary standards and adheres to the principles of the Alliance can become a member.

The open door policy was first articulated in the 1995 "Study on NATO Enlargement," which identified the objective of enlarging the alliance as a means of consolidating democratic institutions and promoting stability in Europe. Since then, NATO has adhered to this policy by welcoming new members and partners, which has contributed to the expansion of the alliance's reach and influence.

The process for joining NATO begins with a formal request from a country interested in membership. The country must then demonstrate its commitment to democratic principles, human rights, and the rule of law, as well as its ability to contribute to collective defense efforts. The country's readiness to meet NATO's political, military, and economic requirements is also evaluated.

Once a country has met the necessary criteria, it can begin the accession process, which involves negotiating a membership action plan with the alliance. The membership action plan outlines the steps that the aspiring member country must take to complete the process of joining NATO, which includes modernizing its defense capabilities, improving its military interoperability, and enhancing its contribution to collective defense.

While NATO's open door policy has contributed to the alliance's expansion over the years, it has also been a subject of controversy and debate. Some critics argue that enlarging the alliance creates unnecessary tension with neighboring countries and risks exacerbating geopolitical conflicts. However, NATO maintains that its open door policy is essential to promoting peace and stability in Europe and beyond.