Turkish president lifts veto on Finland’s Nato application

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan says he will recommend Turkish parliament vote in favour of Finland joining alliance

Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has lifted his veto on Finland’s application to join Nato, a move that strengthens the west’s ability to withstand any future Russian threat across the Baltic Sea but leaves Sweden’s parallel bid for Nato membership unresolved.

After a choreographed meeting with the Finnish president, Sauli Niinistö, in Ankara, Erdoğan said he would recommend to the Turkish parliament that it vote to back Finland’s application to join, becoming the 31st member of the alliance. He said he hoped the vote would happen before the Turkish elections in May.