Erdogan announced Turkey looks positively on Finland joining the NATO alliance but refused to support Sweden
Turkish president has announced that Turkey is keen on Finland joining NATO, adding that he does not support the application bid by Sweden.
Erdogan made this statement on Wednesday, February 1, and said, “Our position on Finland is positive, but it is not positive on Sweden”, as cited by Reuters.
Both Finland and Sweden applied to join NATO and become a part of the trans-Atlantic defence pact, following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. Following the application, both countries faced major objections from Turkey and have been trying to win its support.
Discussing Sweden during his speech at the Parliament Erdogan said, “Sweden should not bother to try at this point. We will not say ‘yes’ to their NATO application as long as they allow burning of the Koran”.
Another statement was made by Mevlut Cavusoglu Turkish Foreign Minister who said, “If NATO and the two countries decide for separate membership processes, Turkey will of course reconsider Finland’s membership separately and more favourably”.
Finland´s foreign minister Pekka Haavisto responded to the comment about applying separately and said that the country was sticking to the plan of applying jointly with Sweden.
Following the comment by Haavisto, the joint presidential and government committee on Finnish security and foreign policy said in a statement that “Finland continues to advance the membership process together with Sweden”.
The statement added, “The fastest possible realisation of both country’s memberships is in the best interest of Finland, Sweden, and the whole of NATO.”
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