Ankara can hold up the process of accession of Sweden and Finland to NATO if its demands are not met, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday
ANKARA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th July, 2022) Ankara can hold up the process of accession of Sweden and Finland to NATO if its demands are not met, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday.
"I repeat once again that if our demands are not met the process will be slowed down. We see that especially Sweden does not show the proper reaction," Erdogan said in a nationwide address after a cabinet meeting.
Finland and Sweden submitted membership applications to NATO in May, ending decades of neutrality in light of Russia's military operation in Ukraine. Their membership bids were initially blocked by Turkey, which accused them of supporting "terrorists," referring to supporters of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which Ankara considers a terrorist organization. Turkey lifted its objections after the three leaders met in Madrid in June and Erdogan said his concerns were addressed.
