NATO’s Enlargement: Assessing the Cases of Finland, Sweden and Ukraine

With the start of the war in Ukraine, NATO has been faced with numerous challenges including reassuring allies, reinforcing common defense, and considering the alliance’s enlargement to the north. Finland and Sweden’s requests for a fast-track NATO membership emerged as a significant focus for the alliance, as these countries decided to abandon their historically neutral position toward Russia. Türkiye sought assurances from these candidate countries regarding terrorism as a prerequisite for joining NATO. Having completed the items outlined in the Trilateral agreement, Finland became the 31st NATO member after receiving Türkiye’s endorsement. Even though Ankara supports NATO’s open door policy as a matter of principle, it expects Sweden to assuage Turkish concerns prior to admission. What implications will Finland’s accession to NATO have on the future of NATO? Can Sweden meet the Turkish expectations before the NATO Summit in July in Vilnius? What are the implications of NATO’s enlargement for Ukraine’s hopes for membership?

The SETA Foundation at Washington DC is pleased to host a distinguished expert panel discussion on NATO’s enlargement with Finland’s entry, Türkiye’s reservations about Sweden’s application, and the growing support for Ukraine’s membership.

Speakers

Amb. James Jeffrey, Chair of the Middle East Program at Wilson Center

Burhanettin Duran, General Coordinator at The SETA Foundation

Kilic Kanat, Research Director, The SETA Foundation at Washington DC

Moderator

Kadir Ustun, Executive Director, The SETA Foundation at Washington DC