A diplomatic source confirmed to “Sputnik” that Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu had phone talks with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, following Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s statements that Turkey would reject Finland and Sweden joining the alliance. Today, “Today, there were talks over the phone between the Turkish Foreign Minister and the Secretary General of NATO.”
Erdogan said, earlier today, Monday, that Turkey will refuse to join Finland and Sweden in the “NATO” alliance if those he described as “terrorists” inside the two countries are not extradited.
He continued, during press statements, that there are some meetings and meetings at the level of the ministries of foreign affairs, adding: “But let’s focus on the fact that both countries do not suffer from threats or terrorist risks.”
He added, “They (Finland and Sweden) submitted a request to visit Turkey, but if their efforts were to persuade us to join NATO without agreeing to our demands, from now on I apologize and tell them that we will refuse their accession to NATO, otherwise the alliance will turn into bases for terrorist organizations and elements.”
Russia has warned on more than one occasion that Finland and Sweden’s accession to NATO will require taking measures by Russia to protect its security from the threats posed by the alliance to it, considering that the joining step is unjustified, because Moscow does not have any problems with these two countries. .
Finland and Sweden had previously announced their desire to join NATO, coinciding with the Russian special military operation in Ukraine, which began on February 24, to protect the Donbass region and get rid of the Nazi tendencies that appeared in this country.