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...