Turkey’s president reiterated his objections to Finland and Sweden joining Nato, barely hours after they announced their intentions.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the two Nordic countries should not send delegations to Turkey, a vital Nato member, to persuade them of their candidacy.
He is enraged by their willingness to house Kurdish extremists, as he perceives it.
Sweden and Finland will not be able to join NATO unless all of its members agree.
Sweden said on Monday that Europe was living in a frightening new reality as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The decision by Finland and Sweden to join the 30-member military alliance does not directly threaten Moscow, according to Russian President Vladimir Putin, but any expansion of military facilities will prompt a response from Moscow.
Mr. Erdogan said at a news conference on Monday that Turkey opposes Finland’s and Sweden’s Nato membership ambitions, branding Sweden as a “hatchery” for terrorist groups.
“Neither of these countries has a clear and transparent stance on terrorist groups.
How can we have faith in them? “Turkish President Erdogan stated.
Turkey accuses the two Nordic countries of harboring members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a terrorist organization it considers, as well as followers of Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara accuses of plotting a 2016 coup attempt.
Because all Nato member states must agree before a new country can join, Sweden and Finland need Turkey’s help to join the military alliance.
Mr. Erdogan stated that Swedish and Finnish representatives should not travel to Ankara, Turkey’s capital, in order to persuade the Turkish government to endorse their Nato proposal.
His government has also promised to reject visa applications from nations that have sanctioned it.
Following Ankara’s foray into Syria, the Nordic countries imposed an arms embargo on it in 2019.
Pekka Haavisto, the Finnish Foreign Minister, expressed surprise at Turkey’s stance in parliament on Monday but stressed that his government was not interested in “bargaining” with Mr. Erdogan.
Last week, Finland formally announced its intention to join NATO.
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On Saturday, it was joined by Sweden, putting an end to the Scandinavian country’s centuries-long military non-alignment.
At a press conference on Monday, Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said, “NATO will strengthen Sweden, and Sweden will strengthen Nato.”
She claimed that Europe was now living in a perilous new reality as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“We are leaving one period behind us and entering a new one,” Ms. Andersson said in a debate held in Stockholm on Monday.
She claimed that a formal application could be submitted in a matter of days and that it would be synchronized with Finland.
Nato has indicated that it is willing to accept the two new members.
Ms. Andersson, on the other hand, emphasized that Sweden did not want permanent NATO bases or nuclear weapons on its soil.
Norway, Denmark, and Iceland, all Nato members, promptly stated that they would assist Sweden and Finland in any manner possible if they were attacked.
Sweden and Finland have previously received security guarantees from the United Kingdom, which is a Nato member.
Sweden’s declaration came as Nato conducted one of its largest exercises in the Baltic region, with 15,000 troops participating.
The drills in Estonia, dubbed “Hedgehog,” involve ten countries, including Finland and Sweden.
