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Updated June 27th, 2022 at 12:22 IST

Turkey's Erdogan to meet with leaders of Sweden, Finland ahead of NATO summit in Madrid

Turkish Presidential Spokesperson stated that prior to the NATO meeting in Madrid, President Tayyip Erdogan will meet with the leaders of Sweden, Finland

Reported by: Anwesha Majumdar
Turkey
Image: AP | Image:self
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In the latest development pertaining to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, Turkish Presidential Spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin stated that prior to the NATO meeting in Madrid, President Tayyip Erdogan will meet with the leaders of Sweden, Finland, as well as North Atlantic Alliance on Tuesday, June 28.  Kalin remarked on Turkish TV news station Haberturk, “On Tuesday, at the request of NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, a four-way summit will be held in Madrid with the participation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Our participation in this summit does not mean that we will step back from our position," Anadolu Agency reported.  

In a bid to address the two nations' bids for NATO membership, Kalin recalled that Turkish officials had already met with their counterparts from Sweden and Finland twice. Furthermore, it is worth noting that in reaction to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Finland and Sweden sought to join NATO. Turkey, meanwhile, has opposed the applications, claiming that Helsinki and Stockholm have supported Kurdish insurgents and placed arms embargoes on Ankara. 

Turkey wants Sweden and Finland to adopt a stance against Kurdish insurgents

While speaking to broadcaster Haberturk, Kalin revealed that he, along with Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal, would be present at the round of discussions with the Swedish and Finnish delegations on Monday in Brussels, VOA News reported. Further, referring to the upcoming discussions, he stressed, "We have brought negotiations to a certain point. It is not possible for us to take a step back here".  

According to Kalin, if Turkey and the Nordic countries could agree on issues at discussions on Monday, then they would be in a better position in Madrid. 

Kalin also reaffirmed that Turkey wants Sweden and Finland to adopt a stance against the PKK/PYD/YPG terror outfits and associated structures that is unequivocal and obvious, Anadolu Agency reported. 

Meanwhile, it is pertinent to note that this week, NATO officials will gather in Madrid to discuss what may be the military organization's biggest deployment since the end of the Cold War. The NATO summit will take place from Tuesday to Thursday, and discussions are anticipated to focus on the alliance's reaction to the conflict in Ukraine as well as the applications from Finland and Sweden to join. 

In addition to this, on Saturday, Turkish President Erdogan claimed that despite repeated warnings, no significant action has been taken to address security concerns raised by Ankara over Finland and Sweden's NATO candidacy. Erdogan emphasised that both Nordic nations must take "tangible steps" to reassure members of the 30-nation bloc that they are not harbouring abolished Kurdish militants in a phone call with General Secretary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Jens Stoltenberg. As per media reports, Finland and Sweden both refute this claim. 

(Image: AP)

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Published June 27th, 2022 at 12:22 IST

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