PRESS RELEASE : Finland’s accession to NATO – Foreign Secretary’s statement on Turkey’s ratification decision [March 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 17 March 2023.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly gave a statement on Turkey’s decision to ratify Finland’s accession to NATO.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

We welcome Turkey’s decision to ratify Finland’s accession to NATO. We are clear that Turkey should provide a clear path for Sweden’s swift accession.

We remain fully committed to supporting both Finland and Sweden’s NATO accession, in line with NATO’s open door policy.

Their membership will make all Allies safer, and the Euro-Atlantic area more secure.  We will continue to press for both countries’ swift accession into the alliance.

Our mutual security declarations signed with Sweden and Finland on 11 May 2022 demonstrate our steadfast and unequivocal commitment to the security of both countries during this process and beyond.