Complicated by NATO membership, Sweden calls Turkey’s demands too much

STOCKHOLM – The Swedish government finds it difficult for Turkey in its attempts to join the military alliance BORN .

Swedish Prime Minister (PM) Ulf Kristersson said Ankara’s demands were too many and it was impossible to meet all these conditions.

Just to note, Sweden and Finland applied to become NATO members after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Read also: War with Russia, Ukraine admits to lead a NATO mission

The new alliance membership can be accepted if approved by all its members, which currently number 30 countries including Turkey.

“Turkey both confirmed that we did what we said we would do, but they also said they wanted things we couldn’t or wouldn’t give them,” Prime Minister Kristersson said at a security conference on Sunday.

Finland and Sweden signed a tripartite deal with Turkey in 2022 that aims to overcome Ankara’s objections to their NATO membership [Organisasi Perjanjian Atlantik Utara].

Turkey has previously contested the accession of the two Nordic countries and accused them of harboring Kurdish rebels.

Ankara refuses to accept Sweden and Finland’s NATO membership until both countries take the necessary steps, including joining Turkey in the fight against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which is designated as a group terrorist from the United States and the European Union.

Sweden has strong ties to the Kurdish diaspora, which has become a flashpoint between the countries. Turkey has also requested the extradition of those it deems to be “terrorists”.