Finnish President Sauli Niinistö announced that they immediately contacted Ankara after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hinted that they might prioritize the Nordic country’s NATO membership bid over Sweden.

Niinistö told the Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat that both his office and Foreign Ministry contacted Türkiye. He said "preliminary discussions" have already taken place between the foreign ministries of their countries.

On Erdoğan’s remarks, Niinistö said they showed Türkiye’s changing rhetoric on the issue. He said he also held talks with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg last week over ratification of Finland’s membership to the alliance. The Finnish president, however, added that they were still intent on joining NATO together with Sweden.