Finland’s president visits Turkey with an announcement expected on its NATO bid

Finland’s president plans to visit areas in Turkey devastated by last month’s earthquake on Thursday and is preparing to meet the Turkish leader, after suggesting on Wednesday that Ankara might soon declare that it would ratify Finland’s NATO membership and bring it a big step closer to joining the alliance.

Finland and Sweden were spurred by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to drop their military nonalignment and seek expedited membership in the alliance, which requires unanimous approval from member countries. Finland and Sweden had pledged to enter the alliance “hand in hand,” but Sweden’s application has been held up by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey – creating the possibility that Finland could join without its Nordic neighbor.

Both Erdogan and Finland’s president, Sauli Niinisto, suggested this week that a declaration was coming soon, with the two leaders set to meet Friday.

“It was known that once President Erdogan has for his part made the decision concerning the ratification of Finland’s NATO membership, he would wish to meet and fulfill his promise directly from president to president,” Niinisto said in a statement Wednesday.

Erdogan on Wednesday dropped his own hints about a potential announcement. When reporters asked whether the Turkish Parliament was prepared to ratify Finland’s membership after Friday’s meeting, he replied, “God willing, if it is for the best,” according to The Associated Press, adding that Turkey would “keep our promise.”

The comments have strengthened signs that Finland could wind up joining NATO without Sweden, a possibility that the Swedish prime minister, Ulf Kristersson, acknowledged was increasingly likely at a news conference on Tuesday.

Sweden’s bid has been particularly tied up by Ankara’s objections that the country needs to take a tougher tack against Kurdish separatists it considers terrorists. Turkey also wants some Kurds extradited from Sweden to face terrorism-related charges.

Finland, which has Europe’s longest border with Russia, will continue to support Sweden’s efforts to join NATO, Niinisto said Wednesday.

Whether or not Erdogan announces Turkey’s approval on Friday, Finland’s bid still requires ratification from Hungary, which has slow-walked the issue. A parliamentary session scheduled for next week was expected to include a vote on both Finland’s and Sweden’s bids, but it appears likely to be postponed again, the AP said this week.

Hungary has used its veto power within the European Union over sanctions against Russia to try to secure concessions on other issues, and now appears to be doing the same thing over Finland and Sweden joining NATO.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.