Lithuanian soldiers in a NATO military exercise. Photo by AP
The list of “neutral” countries in Europe appears to be shrinking, due to the steps of Finland and Sweden to join NATO.
Like the two Nordic countries, other countries join the European Union by his promise of political and economic unity without taking sides in the divisions between East and West that lasted beyond the Cold War.
But security concerns over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine changed priorities for Finland and Sweden, which promoted neutrality for many years, and caused other countries with a neutral tradition to examine what the term meant to them.
Finland has already applied to join NATO, while Sweden could comply after a change of heart in public opinion in both countries.
While EU members promise to defend their partners in the event of an external attack, the commitment is more limited to duty as a NATO force overshadows the concept of collective block defense.
British soldiers at a military exercise in North Macedonia. Photo by Reuters
However, Turkey could still freeze the ambitions of Finland and Sweden to enter into the alliance. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, president of the NATO member country, said his country had “no favorable view” on the idea because of the Nordic countries’ alleged support for Kurdish militiamen and other groups considered by Turkey as terrorists.
“That’s the key to neutrality: It means different things to different people,” said University of Amsterdam historian Samuel Kruizinga.
Here’s a look at some countries that have embraced “neutrality” in their law or generally consider themselves neutral in the dispute between the United States and Russia and their respective allies. Austria, Ireland, Cyprus and Malta are EU members that have not joined NATO, while Switzerland has remained outside the two organizations.
Switzerland
Perhaps the most well -known neutral country in Europe, Switzerland adopted neutrality in its constitution, and Swiss voters decided decades ago. stay outside the EU. But in recent weeks, his government has struggled to explain its concept of neutrality after supporting EU sanctions against Russia, and Switzerland’s neutrality is now discussed almost daily by the local media.
There is little chance that Switzerland will move further away from its neutrality. His German government has already asked not to deliver Swiss military equipment to Ukraine.
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