Türkiye president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan He told the NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, that Sweden should curb protests by supporters of the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party, a step he said is necessary for Stockholm to receive Ankara’s approval to join NATO.
Erdogan drew attention to Stoltenberg in the phone call. Türkiye urged a constructive approach, but according to a statement from the Turkish Presidency, Sweden’s adjustments to its anti-terror laws, aimed at satisfying Ankara’s demands, remain insignificant as long as PKK supporters are allowed to demonstrate freely on Swedish soil.
The Turkish president met with the NATO Secretary General this Sunday, and Sweden’s bid to join the Atlantic Alliance was among the topics of discussion.
The Kurdistan Workers’ Party, referred to here as the PKK, is listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, Sweden, and the European Union. Ankara also views the Syrian Kurdish YPG militias as an extension of the PKK, even though the EU does not classify them as terrorists.
Türkiye, along with Hungary, has slowed down Sweden’s accession and has accused the Kurdish groups of taking a lax stance on the PKK while pressing for stronger action to prevent protests and curb what it calls destabilizing activity within Turkey’s borders.