Erdogan: Finnish and Swedish support for the PKK is our main problem

According to Fars News Agency’s International Group, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had a telephone conversation with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday evening.

Erdogan told Johnson that Sweden-Finland relations with individuals and organizations operating under the control of the PKK terrorist group are Turkey’s main problem with their bid for NATO membership.

According to the news agency «AnatolyThe two sides discussed bilateral relations, as well as regional developments, including Sweden and Finland ‘s proposals for NATO membership and the Ukraine – Russia war, the Turkish Presidential Communications Office said in a statement.

Erdogan stressed that the Turkish government wants to ensure that Finland and Sweden uphold NATO values ​​and take into account Turkey’s legitimate concerns.

“The justified response of Turkish public opinion to the request of NATO-sponsored countries should not be ignored,” he said in the phone call, according to the statement.

The British Prime Minister’s Office also said in a statement that Johnson described the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO as a “valuable accession”.

According to the news agency «Reuters“He called on Erdogan to work with his Swedish, Finnish and NATO counterparts to address any concerns ahead of next month’s coalition summit in Madrid,” Johnson told Erdogan.

Accordingly, he agreed with Erdogan to work together to open supply routes for Ukraine’s grain reserves and reduce rising global food prices, announcing Britain’s support for Finland and Sweden’s membership in NATO.

Earlier, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşo .lu said that countries wishing to join NATO should address Ankara’s security concerns and stop supporting terrorists. (More details)

On Wednesday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg announced that Finland and Sweden had formally applied to join the military alliance.

Since the start of Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine on February 24, public opinion in Finland and Sweden has shifted sharply in favor of membership. Finland and Sweden are NATO’s closest partners and have well-funded armed forces that assist in NATO military and air operations.

The governments of Finland and Sweden announced on Sunday their decision to join NATO, which has opened a new front in the confrontation between Russia and the West; As one of the Scandinavian countries, Finland has a thousand kilometers of border with Russia and is the first country to share a border with Russia that joins NATO.

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