Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that Turkey would not support the entry of Sweden and Finland into NATO. He recalled that both countries previously refused Ankara’s extradition requests for individuals linked to terrorism.
There are reports that they will not extradite terrorists to Turkey. “We will not say yes to the entry of these two countries into NATO,” he asserted.
According to Erdogan, there are supporters of terrorism even within the parliaments of the two Nordic countries. If their membership applications are approved, he warned, NATO could become a stronghold for terrorist activity.
Erdogan also said that delegations from Finland and Sweden would visit Turkey soon to address Ankara’s concerns about the alliance’s northward expansion.
They are expected in Turkey on Monday. Will they be able to persuade us otherwise? He told them not to trouble themselves or disrupt the process.
The previous day Erdogan described the news as not positive for NATO when Scandinavian nations are described as hosts for terrorist organizations. The reference was to groups linked to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party and its affiliates. Erdogan’s spokesman later clarified that Ankara had not closed the door to NATO for Sweden and Finland but emphasized the need to address terrorist threats.
33 terrorists
On 16 May, Finland and Sweden declined to comply with Turkish extradition requests for 33 members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the Hizmet Movement (FETÖ), both designated as terrorist organizations by Turkey. Among them, 12 extradition requests are for individuals in Finland and 21 for those in Sweden.
According to TRT, Finland and Sweden rejected some requests while others were not acted upon.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu accused both countries of openly supporting the PKK. He argued that the limited delivery of defense products to Turkey, including items sourced from states seeking NATO membership, reflected Turkey’s ongoing struggle against the PKK.
“We have taken a clear position. The claim that these countries have no link to terrorism is false. They should halt cooperation with terrorist organizations and lift restrictions on defense industry exports to Turkey. Turkey does not oppose NATO expansion; it objects to countries that support terrorists,” he said.
According to sources from RIA Novosti and TASS, Çavuşoğlu met with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg shortly after Erdogan’s remarks. Details of the discussion were not disclosed.
Turkey’s isolation
The head of the European People’s Party in the European Parliament warned that if Turkey blocks Finland and Sweden from joining NATO, the country could face isolation within the alliance. He argued that anyone challenging NATO compliance would be sidelined in European politics.
He also noted that if both Nordic countries want to join, delaying or blocking their admission would be counterproductive.
Sweden’s Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist promised that officials would travel to Turkey to resolve ongoing misunderstandings. “We will send a group of officials to meet and talk with Turkey to see how this issue can be resolved and what happens next,” he stated during an interview on SVT.
Hultqvist added that Sweden and Finland have signs indicating a favorable view of their entry into the alliance. The two countries are expected to submit a single application to join NATO, and while the process could take up to a year, NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg indicated that it could move more quickly if there is broad support.