Turkish President RecepTayyip Erdogan on Monday confirmed Turkey’s opposition to NATO membership in Finland and Sweden, and accused them of failing to take decisive action against terrorism. “We will not say ‘yes’ to those countries imposing sanctions on Turkey to join NATO,” Erdogan said.
30 NATO members
Sweden and Finland require each of the 30 NATO members to approve their applications. Sweden has suspended arms sales to Turkey since 2019 in connection with Ankara military operations in neighboring Syria. Turkey has threatened to block the growing coalition, accusing them of harboring terrorist groups including illegal Kurdish militants, which have been banned from Ankara, the EU and the United States.
Turkey has strongly accused Stockholm of displaying what it describes as a sympathy for the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has been a revolt against the Turkish government since 1984. bother to send envoys to Ankara to urge Turkey to support their bids.
Referring to the Swedish and Finnish ambassadors’ plans to meet with Turkish officials, Erdogan said: “They said they would come to Turkey on Monday. Will they come to plead with us? Sorry, but they should not worry.” State Antony Blinken expressed confidence on Sunday that Sweden and Finland would join NATO. Turkish Foreign Minister MevlutCavusoglu will meet Blinken on Wednesday, when Ankara opposition is expected to be high on the agenda.
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