Ankara may freeze the process of Sweden and Finland joining NATO if the two Nordic countries fail to meet its demands, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday.
"I would like to reiterate that if Sweden and Finland fail to take the necessary steps to meet our demands, we will freeze this process. Turkey has a very clear position, while everything else is their own business," Erdogan said at a press conference after chairing a cabinet meeting.
On May 18, Helsinki and Stockholm submitted their applications to join the alliance, but the process was blocked by Turkey. On June 28, the foreign ministers of Sweden, Finland and Turkey signed a memorandum making it possible for Helsinki and Stockholm to join NATO. The document provides for the two Nordic countries’ cooperation with Ankara in the fight against terrorism, including the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and the FETO organization, which are deemed terrorist organizations by Turkey.
