Skip to main content

Turkey not backing down from threats to block Sweden, Finland from NATO

Following a call with NATO's chief, Erdogan is showing no signs of backing off in the standoff over Sweden and Finland’s bids to join the alliance.

Turkey's President and leader of the Justice and Development Party Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Turkey's President and leader of the Justice and Development Party Recep Tayyip Erdogan gestures as he delivers a speech during his party's group meeting at the Turkish Grand National Assembly in Ankara, on May 18, 2022. — ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey shows no signs of backing down in the continuing standoff over Sweden's and Finland’s bids to join NATO in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan insisted in a telephone call with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg that the Nordic countries had to take “concrete steps” toward membership in the Western security alliance.

Related Topics

Subscribe for unlimited access

All news, events, memos, reports, and analysis, and access all 10 of our newsletters. Learn more

$14 monthly or $100 annually ($8.33/month)
OR

Continue reading this article for free

All news, events, memos, reports, and analysis, and access all 10 of our newsletters. Learn more.

By signing up, you agree to Al-Monitor’s Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. Already have an account? Log in