Ankara has expressed its dissatisfaction with Sweden’s progress in supporting its application to join NATO, according to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. In a phone call with US President Joe Biden on Sunday, Erdoğan highlighted that while Sweden has made some changes in its anti-terrorism legislation, pro-Kurdish groups, including the banned PKK and YPG, continue to hold demonstrations in the country. Erdoğan argued that these actions nullify the steps taken by Sweden and hinder its bid to join NATO.
The phone call took place ahead of a two-day summit of NATO leaders in Lithuania, which begins on Tuesday. Biden has expressed his support for reaching a deal on Sweden’s membership at the meeting in Vilnius.
Erdoğan’s administration has been blocking Sweden’s hopes of joining the defense alliance, accusing Stockholm of supporting Kurdish separatism. However, Erdoğan recently gave the green light to Finland’s application, which became a NATO member in April.
During the call, Erdoğan and Biden also discussed the sale of US F-16 fighter jets to Turkey. Erdoğan emphasized that it is incorrect to associate Ankara’s request for F-16 aircraft with Sweden’s NATO membership bid.
Additionally, Erdoğan raised Turkey’s desire to revive the EU membership process. He called for EU member states to send a clear and strong message in support of Turkey’s EU bid at the NATO summit in Lithuania. Turkey became a candidate for full EU membership in 1999, but talks have stalled over the past decade due to the country’s failure to meet the required reforms set by Brussels.
Erdoğan and Biden agreed to meet face-to-face in Vilnius to discuss Turkey-US bilateral relations and regional issues in detail.
How is Sweden’s progress in its bid to join NATO perceived by Turkey, according to President Erdoğan?
Ankara has voiced its dissatisfaction with Sweden’s progress in its bid to join NATO, according to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. In a recent phone call with US President Joe Biden, Erdoğan pointed out that although Sweden has made some changes in its anti-terrorism laws, pro-Kurdish groups like the banned PKK and YPG are still organizing demonstrations in the country. Erdoğan believes that these actions undermine Sweden’s efforts and hinder its NATO membership aspirations.
This conversation between Erdoğan and Biden occurred ahead of a two-day NATO summit in Lithuania, starting on Tuesday. Biden has expressed his support for reaching an agreement on Sweden’s membership during the meeting in Vilnius.
Erdoğan’s administration has been blocking Sweden’s hopes of joining the defense alliance, accusing Stockholm of aiding Kurdish separatism. However, Erdoğan recently approved Finland’s application, leading to its NATO membership in April.
During their call, Erdoğan and Biden also discussed the sale of US F-16 fighter jets to Turkey. Erdoğan emphasized that it is incorrect to link Ankara’s request for F-16 jets with Sweden’s NATO membership bid.
Furthermore, Erdoğan raised Turkey’s desire to rejuvenate the EU membership process. He called on EU member states to show unequivocal support for Turkey’s EU aspirations at the NATO summit in Lithuania. Turkey became a full EU membership candidate in 1999; however, talks have stalled over the past decade due to the country’s failure to meet the required reforms set by Brussels.
Erdoğan and Biden agreed to meet face-to-face in Vilnius to extensively discuss Turkey-US bilateral relations and regional issues.
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It’s concerning to hear Turkish President’s warning of insufficient progress from Sweden’s NATO bid. With regional tensions on the rise, it’s crucial for NATO to evaluate and address these concerns to ensure a unified and strengthened alliance.