Turkey threatens to block Finland, Sweden NATO bids

New York: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has restated his opposition to Finland and Sweden joining the NATO, just hours after they said they would seek membership of the military alliance amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

Erdogan said Turkey opposed the two Scandinavian countries’ bids to join NATO, describing Sweden as a “hatchery” for terrorist organizations, reports the BBC.

“Neither of these countries have a clear, open attitude towards terrorist organizations. How can we trust them?” he asked. Erdogan is angered by what he sees as their willingness to host Kurdish militants.

Turkey accuses the two Nordic nations of harboring members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a group it views as a terrorist organization, and followers of Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara accuses of orchestrating a 2016 coup attempt, the BBC reported.

“The applications you have made today are a historic step. Allies will now consider the next steps on your path to NATO.”

– NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg, after receiving the bids from Finland and Sweden

All member states must agree that a new country can join NATO, therefore Sweden and Finland require Turkey’s support in their bid to join the military alliance.

Speaking in Parliament in Helsinki, Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said he was surprised by Turkey’s stance, but added that his government was not interested in “bargaining” with Erdogan.

Finland formally announced its bid to join NATO last week. It was joined by neighbor Sweden on May 14. “NATO will strengthen Sweden, Sweden will strengthen NATO,” Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said at a briefing. However, Andersson stressed that Sweden did not want permanent Nato bases or nuclear weapons on its territory.

Norway, Denmark, and Iceland, all NATO members, immediately said they were ready to support Sweden and Finland, by all means, necessary if they came under attack.

Image courtesy of (Photo: Wikimedia)

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