Experts in the US capital believe that, if necessary, President Joe Biden will put his prestige on the line for Finland and Sweden’s NATO membership.
WASHINGTON The new US parliament, which started its work less than a month ago, seems even more polarized than before. The 118th Congress is contentious both in domestic and foreign policy, except for a few topics.
One of these topics of agreement is the NATO membership of Finland and Sweden.
– The general view here is that Finland and Sweden do not need to worry about the support of the largest NATO country. The US administration is one hundred percent committed to Finland and Sweden’s NATO membership, journalist Vago Muradian says.
Known as a defense policy insider Muradian’s podcast (you will switch to another service)is one of the most listened to and most quoted programs in Washington political circles at the moment.
In recent weeks, the US State Department and the White House have expressed their position on several occasions that Turkey and Hungary should ratify Finland’s and Sweden’s membership soon.
Opponents of Turkey in Congress
According to Muradian, the US leadership and Congress continue to assume that the Nordic countries will become members together and at the same time. Washington observers believe that Pres Joe Biden and the White House, if necessary, put their prestige on the line to bring Turkey down.
It also means softening work in Congress. Turkey wants to buy F-16 fighter jets from the United States.
The deal would be worth just under 19 billion euros, i.e. more than twice as big as Finland’s F-35 deal.
The United States imposed an arms embargo on Turkey in 2019 after Turkey bought the S-400 missile defense system from Russia. The reason for the ban was also that Turkey might use weapons against the US’s Kurdish allies.
The previous Congress lifted the ban last fall, and the Biden administration said it wanted to sell fighter jets to Turkey.
However, there is still a small but vocal anti-trade opposition in the new Congress. Its leader is the head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, a Democrat Bob Menendez.
– It is believed that the administration will lean in favor of Menendez’s deals. It would act as a softener in the direction of Turkey in terms of ratifications. Almost everyone in Washington’s strategic circles wants this to happen soon, says Muradian.
The House of Representatives is still a question mark
Last August, the US Senate ratified Finland’s and Sweden’s NATO membership almost unanimously, by a vote of 95–1.
Democrats retained their majority in the Senate in November’s midterm elections. On the side of the House of Representatives, power changed to the Republicans.
Finland’s ambassador to the United States follows the events on Capitol Hill Mikko Hautala says that the effect of the new Republican majority in practice cannot yet be assessed.
– I feel that the processes in the House of Representatives will become more laborious, certainly more rhetorically flamboyant. However, I believe that the basic work there will be done.
Hautala is careful not to draw quick conclusions about the new congress, but he says he trusts its support for Finland’s NATO membership.
– At no point did it become a point of contention between the parties, but the position was practically unanimous. The US legal decision on Finland’s NATO membership is binding and it is also their international line. It seems clear to me that they will continue to follow it, says Hautala.
You can discuss the topic until Saturday 4.2. until 11 p.m.