Turkey’s Stance on Sweden’s NATO Bid Linked to Anti-Turkish Protests: Erdogan

Sweden should not expect a change in Ankara’s stance on its NATO membership bid at next month’s defense alliance summit in Vilnius unless it averts anti-Turkish protests in Stockholm, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, Reuters quoted Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as saying.

Turkey cannot take a positive approach to Sweden’s NATO bid while “terrorists” are protesting in Stockholm and Turkey’s position will be clarified once again in talks with Swedish officials in Ankara on Wednesday, Erdogan told reporters on the return flight from Azerbaijan on Tuesday.

We remind you that in Sweden, for the first time, the prosecutor’s office brought charges for an attempt to raise funds for the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). It was the first time anyone has been charged in Sweden with trying to finance the PKK, designated a terrorist group by Turkey, the European Union and the United States.

The charge is possible following the entry into force of new anti-terror legislation in Sweden, which prohibits the organization of meetings or the provision of logistical or financial assistance or even food to banned groups.

Sweden and Finland applied for NATO membership after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. While Finland joined the military alliance in April, Sweden’s bid was put on hold by Turkey despite a deal struck in Madrid last year until it met Turkish concerns for security. Hungary also opposes its NATO membership, citing the Swedish government’s criticism of the rule of law in Hungary. Sweden now hopes to join NATO by the pact’s summit in Lithuania next month.