Turkey expects Sweden and Finland to take firm action and suspend their support for terrorist groups so that Ankara can withdraw its opposition to joining NATO, Foreign Minister MevlutCavusoglu said on May 27. Finland and Sweden applied to join NATO last week, seeking to tighten security following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. They hope it will be a quick entry process and some NATO members propose a planned expansion as history.
However, Turkey has challenged the move, saying it harbors people linked to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and supporters of FethullahGulen, Ankara accusing him of plotting a coup d’etat in 2016. All 30 NATO states must give their consent before the new member can be accepted and thus benefit from a joint security agreement.”Concrete action must be taken against Turkey’s concerns,” he said. Cavusoglu told reporters at a press conference. “They must reduce the support given to terrorism.” Delegates from both countries visited Ankara for talks with Turkish officials on Wednesday.
Presidential spokesman Tayyip Erdogan later said Ankara had seen a positive attitude in removing the embargo of arms exports. Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde said on Twitter after that the dialogue is constructive and will continue.Sweden and Finland have banned the shipment of weapons to Turkey after invading Syria against Kurdish YPG troops. Ankara views the YPG as a PKK and views both groups as terrorist organizations.
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