Erdogan will hold talks with Finland on Saturday on its application for NATO membership


ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he would hold talks with Finland on Saturday over its application for NATO membership, but maintained his opposition to its entry as well as that of Sweden. the covenant.

Finland and Sweden, which remained a neutral military alliance throughout the Cold War, formally requested to join NATO on Wednesday in response to what they see as a security environment fundamentally changed by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The Turkish president said he discussed the issue with the Dutch prime minister on Friday and would also address Britain on Saturday.

“Of course, we will continue all these discussions so as not to interrupt diplomacy,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters.

Turkey accuses Sweden and Finland of harboring on their soil members of organizations considered terrorist by Ankara, such as the Kurdish movements PKK and YPG or the supporters of Imam Fethullah Glen, held responsible for an attempt coup in 2016.

Western leaders said they were confident that Ankara’s objections would not constitute an obstacle to the process of NATO membership for the two Nordic countries.

(Reporting Ece Toksabay and Can Sezer, written by Daren Butler; French version Diana Mandi, narrated by Kate Entringer)



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