The Weaponization of NATO Membership: Leaders of Türkiye and Hungary Use Accession Process for Personal Disputes
The Weaponization of NATO Membership: Leaders of Türkiye and Hungary Use Accession Process for Personal Disputes

Summary/Abstract: Finland and Sweden originally made a pact to join NATO together following the invasion of Ukraine. As evident by current events, Finland has joined the bloc, while Sweden must continue to wait to have its membership approved. This article examines why it has occurred through an analysis of the requirements to join NATO and the reasons Türkiye and Hungary have used to justify their delaying Finland from joining NATO while continuing to refuse to sign Sweden’s accession protocol. Finland joined without Sweden – a result of Türkiye and, to a lesser extent, Hungary attempting to make NATO membership conditional on issues unrelated to the requirements to join NATO. Due to the requirement that the members of NATO unanimously approve applicants, applicant countries are at the mercy of current members. It has allowed Türkiye and Hungary to delay Finland’s accession to NATO and to not ratify Sweden’s accession protocol, not based on the country’s preparedness to fulfil NATO obligations but instead based on personal disputes they have with the Swedish government. Türkiye is not satisfied with Sweden’s freedom of speech laws permitting the burning of the Quran meanwhile Hungary is using the opportunity to punish Sweden for raising concerns about the state of democracy in Hungary. The North Atlantic Treaty does not include an article that details the removal of a country from NATO, and NATO leadership has not indicated any interest in removing Türkiyeor Hungary for not yet approving Sweden’s request to join the organization.

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