Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said Turkey does not intend to approve Sweden and Finland’s possible NATO membership.
Sweden announced on Monday that it will formally apply for membership. Finland is expected to make an announcement on Tuesday, after which the countries will jointly submit their bids later this week.
In order to approve the accession of Sweden and Finland, the 30 existing members must agree unanimously. Turkey, which has been a member of the Western military alliance since 1952, can only oppose it.
Erdogan last week said he was “not positive” about Sweden and Finland joining NATO. Turkey accuses these countries of hosting the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Turkey and the European Union consider this party a terrorist organisation.
According to Erdogan, the PKK mainly recruits new recruits in Sweden. He described the two countries as “welcome homes for terrorist organizations”.
According to Turkey, Swedish and Finnish diplomacy is useless
Sweden announced Monday it will send diplomats to Turkey to discuss possible NATO membership. Defense Secretary Peter Hultqvist said diplomats wanted to solve the problem and “see what really matters”.
However, Erdogan says that as long as the countries host “terrorists”, the Swedish and Finnish delegations can abandon this effort.
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg is confident Turkey can allay its concerns. The Secretary General does not expect Sweden and Finland’s NATO membership to be delayed.
Source: NU
Jason Jack is an experienced technology journalist and author at The Nation View. With a background in computer science and engineering, he has a deep understanding of the latest technology trends and developments. He writes about a wide range of technology topics, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, software development, and cybersecurity.
