Turkish, French presidents discuss Sweden, Finland’s NATO bids
ANKARA – The Turkish and French presidents have discussed Sweden’s and Finland’s bids to join NATO, according to Turkiye’s Communication Directorate.
The Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron that Sweden’s and Finland’s contacts with individuals and institutions affiliated with the PKK/YPG group which Turkiye considers to be a “terrorist” group contradicts the NATO alliance spirit.
Regional developments including the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine were also discussed during the phone call.
Erdogan emphasized that Turkiye wants peace and said that Ankara will continue to encourage dialogue and diplomacy between the warring countries.
Sweden and Finland formally applied to join NATO last week – a decision spurred by Russia’s war on Ukraine.
However, Turkiye- a longstanding member of the alliance- voiced objections to their membership bids, criticizing the Baltic states for tolerating and even supporting the PKK and its affiliates.
On Thursday May 26, presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin stated that Turkiye had made clear to Sweden and Finland during a meeting in the capital Ankara that their NATO bids cannot progress unless Ankara’s security concerns regarding the Scandinavian countries’ tacit support to the PKK are addressed through concrete steps within a certain timeframe.
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