Turkey To Suspend Approval Of Finland And Sweden's Membership Into NATO

Turkey will not formally approve Finland and Sweden's NATO membership  until the two countries take the necessary "steps," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told alliance chief Jens Stoltenberg on Friday. Ankara has accused the two Nordic nations of providing a safe haven for outlaw Kurdish militants it considers "terrorists" and has refrained from ratifying  NATO membership despite a deal in June. 

It would be completed,” said the Turkish Presidency. Erdogan and Stoltenberg held a private meeting in Istanbul, closed to the media.

Finland and Sweden gave up decades of military non-alignment and rushed to  NATO membership in May after Russia invaded Ukraine. But Erdogan threatened to block their offers and demanded concessions, leading to a deal  between Turkey, Finland and Sweden in June. which contained provisions on extradition and the exchange of information. 

Sweden's new Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson is due to visit Ankara on Tuesday to meet  Erdogan in a trip  Stockholm hopes will lead to Turkey's approval. to implement the memorandum  and to emphasize that their accession will strengthen NATO," the alliance said in a statement on Friday. 

On Thursday, the NATO Secretary General said the accession of Finland and Sweden was important "to send a clear message to Russia" in a press conference with the Foreign Minister of Turkey.

All 30 NATO member states except Turkey and Hungary have ratified the accession of Sweden and Finland. New alliance members must be approved unanimously.