US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan discussed the process of admitting Sweden to NATO at talks in Ankara. The TV channel reported this on Monday, November 6 NTV Haber.
“It is very important that the President [Турции Реджеп Тайип] Erdogan signed the accession program and sent it to parliament for approval. I think Sweden will join NATO. Türkiye also shares this idea,” the Secretary of State said in a statement.
In addition, political figures also discussed military conflict in the Middle East. Fidan stressed that Israel must be prevented from attacking civilians and displacing people in the Gaza Strip. In his opinion, it is necessary to immediately declare a complete ceasefire.
On October 23, Erdogan submitted a protocol on Sweden’s accession to NATO to the country’s parliament for consideration. Prior to this, on October 21, Expressen, citing sources, reported that the Swedish leadership expected Turkey to ratify the kingdom’s application to join NATO “within a few weeks.”
Earlier, on October 18, the leader of the Turkish Motherland Party, Dogu Perincek, said that Turkey needs to reject the ratification of Sweden’s membership in NATO. Moreover, he stated that his country should leave the alliance.
Back in August, Erdogan said that the speed of the Turkish parliament’s consideration of the issue of Sweden’s membership in NATO depends on the further actions of Stockholm. The country’s authorities should not allow the burning of the Koran if they want the country to join the military alliance, he noted.
Sweden and Finland applied to join NATO in May 2022, but their membership was delayed. On April 4, only Helsinki officially joined the bloc. Sweden’s application was not ratified by Hungary and Türkiye. On October 23, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan proposed that the country’s parliament approve a protocol on Sweden’s accession to the bloc.
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