Finnish, Swedish NATO bids hinge on response to Turkey, says Erdogan aide


FILE PHOTO: Ibrahim Kalin, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman and chief foreign policy adviser, meets with Swedish delegation, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Ankara, Turkey May 25, 2022. Presidential Press Office/Handout via REUTERS

ANKARA (Reuters) - Progress on Finland and Sweden's NATO membership bids ahead of a NATO summit in Madrid this month depends on their response to Turkey's demands, a spokesman for President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday.

Stockholm and Helsinki applied to join the Western defence alliance last month in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but they have faced opposition from Turkey, which has accused them of supporting and harbouring Kurdish militants and other groups it deems terrorists.

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