Ukraine war: Turkey’s Erdogan talks to Nato hopefuls Sweden and Finland, urges an end to support for ‘terror’ groups
- Turkey says Sweden and Finland harbour people linked to the PKK militant group and followers of Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara accuses of a 2016 coup attempt
- Membership to Nato requires consent of all 30 existing members but Turkey is putting a spanner in the works
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged Swedish and Finnish leaders in separate phone calls Saturday to abandon financial and political support for “terrorist” groups threatening Turkey’s national security.
Erdogan has objected to the two Nordic nations becoming members of Nato over their failure to address Turkey’s terror-related concerns.
Ankara in particular accused Stockholm of leniency toward the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) listed as a “terrorist” group by Ankara and its Western allies, as well as members of the movement led by US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara blames for an attempted 2016 coup.
Erdogan told Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson that “Sweden’s political, financial and weapon support to terrorist Organisations must end,” the presidency said.
Turkey expects Sweden to “take concrete and serious steps” that show it shares Ankara’s concerns over the PKK and its Iraqi and Syrian offshoots, Erdogan told the Swedish premier, according to the presidency.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February has shifted political opinion in both Nordic countries in favour of joining the Western military alliance.
Membership requires consent of all 30 existing members but Turkey is putting a spanner in the works.