Sweden, Finland must fulfill NATO accession agreement with Turkey, officials say – Middle East Monitor
Sweden and Finland must fulfill the terms of the NATO accession agreement concluded with Turkey, the Swedish foreign and defense ministers said yesterday.
In May, Sweden and Finland applied for membership in NATO after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Their membership application was opposed by Turkiye which accused the Scandinavian countries of harboring Kurdish militants, labeled as “terrorists” by Ankara.
In June, Turkiye, Sweden and Finland signed a tripartite memorandum on combating terrorism on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Madrid, Spain. However, Turkish officials have repeatedly accused the two countries of failing to fulfill their obligations under the agreement, including the extradition of terror suspects.
On Tuesday, Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström and Defense Minister Pal Jonson, both from the Moderate Party, said in a statement to Nyhetsbyrån that they attach great importance to NATO membership, adding that there is a broad consensus in the Swedish parliament in this regard.
READ: “Hope Turkiye approves our NATO membership,” says Finland’s prime minister
“We must become a NATO member and we must fulfill the terms of the agreement we reached with Turkey and Finland,” Billström said.
For his part, Defense Minister Jonson said his country is facing the most serious security problem since World War II, and expressed hope that Stockholm will join NATO by the end of the year.
Jonson emphasized the determination of the new government to implement the terms of the agreement signed with Turkey and Finland.
Earlier on Monday, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson confirmed in an interview with Anadolu Agency his commitment to the NATO accession agreement signed with Turkiye and noted that he would meet with Turkish officials.