Turkey has blocked the start of negotiations in NATO on the entry of Finland and Sweden into the alliance.
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On Wednesday, the North Atlantic Alliance was scheduled to discuss the applications submitted by the ambassadors of Finland and Sweden for their countries to join NATO, which would mark the beginning of the process of admission to the organization, but because of Ankara’s position, negotiations did not start.
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The Turkish side made it clear that at the moment it cannot approve the start of the discussion.
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On May 18, Sweden and Finland officially applied to join NATO. The ambassadors of the two countries handed them over to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at headquarters in Brussels. According to the secretary general, the alliance relies on quick steps to formalize the membership of these countries in the bloc.
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On May 17, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson reported that Sweden was ready to make contacts with Turkey in order to resolve the differences that had arisen between Ankara and Stockholm against the backdrop of the process of joining the alliance.
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Her statement was a response to the words of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who on May 16 expressed disagreement with the decision of Sweden and Finland to become members of the bloc. According to him, this position is due to Ankara’s contradictions with Stockholm and Helsinki on the extradition of persons whom Turkey considers involved in terrorist activities.
