Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday that Turkey would reject NATO programs from Finland and Sweden, dealing a possible blow to the club’s programs of the two countries a day after they were presented, as the 30-member NATO member will have to unanimously approve the new countries.
Erdogan said in a video posted on his Twitter account that Turkey had “told its allies we will say no” to Finland and Sweden’s NATO membership, to Reuters.
Erdogan added “we will continue like this,” according to an Associated Press translation, while addressing a Turkish youth organization in the video.
Finland and Sweden submitted their official bids to join NATO on Wednesday, and Turkey blocked an accelerated effort to start talks on their candidacies hours later.
Turkey’s opposition, which stunned some allies, began on Friday when Erdogan announced that Turkey was not in favor of Finland and Sweden joining over their support for Kurdish groups, which Turkey considers terrorist organizations.
Finland and Sweden, as well as some Western allies, have presented their weapons to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, while Turkey has been fighting Kurdish armed teams for decades and has accused Sweden of supplying weapons to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, which Sweden denies. .
Turkish officials have tried to explain Erdogan’s comments over the past week, with Erdogan’s spokesman Ibrahim Kalin saying Saturday that Turkey does not seek to completely block the candidacies of Finland and Sweden, but seeks to ensure that the national security of all NATO members is taken. under consideration. . A Turkish official also told the Financial Times on Wednesday that Turkey “does not say it cannot be a member of NATO,” adding that “the faster we can succeed in a deal, the faster accession talks can begin. “.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters on Sunday that Turkey’s goal was not to block accession. “I am confident that we will be able to address the considerations expressed through Turkey in a way that does not stop the accession or the accession process,” Stoltenberg said. “My goal is at all times to have a fast and fast process. “A NATO official also said in a statement to Forbes on Wednesday that the alliance was “determined to all disorders and succeed in a quick conclusion. “
President Joe Biden will meet with Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson and Finnish President Sauli Niinisto at the White House on Thursday morning to discuss their NATO candidacies. Biden called Finland and Sweden “longtime unwavering partners of the United States” on Wednesday. “By joining NATO, they will further strengthen our defense cooperation and gain advantages across the Transatlantic Alliance,” Biden said.
Turkey blocks start of talks on Finland and Sweden’s NATO bids (Forbes)
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Turkey opposes Finland and Sweden’s membership in NATO, says Erdogan (Forbes)