Turkey’s Erdogan accuses Sweden and Finland of supporting terrorism, potentially thwarting NATO aspirations

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Sweden and Finland of supporting terrorism on Saturday, indicating that Ankara possible will not let up its opposition to the Scandinavian international locations becoming a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Group amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

“For so long as Tayyip Erdogan is the pinnacle of the Republic of Turkey, we positively can’t say ‘sure’ to international locations which help terrorism coming into NATO,” Erdogan advised reporters as he returned from Azerbaijan on Saturday. 

Sweden and Finland formally utilized to affix NATO earlier this month, which might signify a historic growth of the Western army alliance. 

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks as he participates in a video convention with European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel, from an outdated Ottoman palace, in Istanbul, Friday, March 19, 2021. 
((Turkish Presidency through AP, Pool))

Whereas NATO Secretary-Normal Jens Stoltenberg has mentioned that the 2 Nordic international locations are welcome, however all 30 member nations should unanimously approve a rustic’s software to affix the alliance. 

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Turkey’s opposition to Sweden and Finland’s entry into NATO stems from the Scandinavian international locations’ alleged help for members of the Kurdistan Staff Celebration militant group (PKK), which Turkey and the U.S. take into account a terrorist group. 

The PKK, which needs to ascertain an ethnic homeland for the Kurds, has been at warfare with Turkey since 1984. 

President Joe Biden speaks throughout a media convention, after a NATO summit and Group of Seven assembly, at NATO headquarters in Brussels
(AP Picture/Markus Schreiber)

Sweden and Finland additionally halted arms gross sales to Turkey in 2019 after the nation launched an incursion into northern Syria. 

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned Friday that he’s assured Turkey will be capable to work out its variations with Sweden and Finland. 

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“The US totally helps Finland and Sweden becoming a member of the Alliance, and I proceed to be assured that each international locations will quickly be NATO Allies,” Blinken mentioned at a press convention alongside Finnish Overseas Minister Pekka Haavisto. 

“Finland and Sweden are talking on to and with Turkey, and dealing via a number of the considerations that Turkey has raised and discovering methods to handle them.”

The method for becoming a member of NATO often takes eight months to a 12 months, however the alliance has indicated it needs to expedite the approval amid Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. 

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Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov mentioned that Russia views Finland’s entry into NATO as a “menace,” although Russian Overseas Minister Sergei Lavrov later downplayed the transfer as making “no massive distinction.”

Reuters contributed to this report.