Turkiye suggests ‘allowing NATO membership’ to Finland but not Sweden

President Turkiye, who has put the brakes on Sweden and Finland’s accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), suggested for the first time that he might allow Finland to join NATO. Sweden and Finland have been pursuing joint membership in NATO.

According to Reuters, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Türkiye said in a televised address on the 29th (local time) about the two countries joining NATO, “If necessary, we can give a different response in relation to Finland.” This will shock you. reaction.”

When Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year, Finland and Sweden withdrew their 70-year-old military non-alignment policy and applied for NATO membership in May. However, he met with opposition from Turkey. Joining NATO requires the approval of all member states.

Türkiye has challenged the two countries to join NATO on the grounds that it supports the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which Turkey defines as terrorists.

President Erdogan’s hard stance on Sweden seems to have been influenced only by the anti-Turkish protests that took place in Sweden this month. In particular, on the 21st, when Denmark’s far-right party held a protest in front of the Turkish embassy in Stockholm, Sweden, burning the Quran, the Islamic scripture, Turkiye protested strongly by suspending NATO accession negotiations with the two countries.

“Finland must not make the same mistake as Sweden,” Erdogan said in a televised speech. As for Sweden, he insisted, “If you really want to join NATO, you will have to hand over the terrorists to us.”

Turkiye brakes have blocked NATO’s plan to pass the accession of Sweden and Finland at a summit scheduled for July in Lithuania. Only the final consent of Turkiye and Hungary remains after both countries join NATO.