Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks at a press conference after a cabinet meeting at the Presidential Complex in Ankara on May 9, 2022. ADEM ALTAN AFP ISTANBUL Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday that Turkey does not have a positive opinion on the idea of Finland and Sweden joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. "We are following the developments regarding Sweden and Finland, but we do not have a positive opinion," Erdogan told reporters in Istanbul after Friday prayers.
Finland and Sweden are expected to submit their membership applications to NATO soon, local media reported.
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The Turkish leader has accused Scandinavian countries of housing terror organizations, such as the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party PKK The PKK, which has been a terrorist organization since it was listed by Turkey as a terrorist organization. It has been rebelling against the Turkish government for more than three decades.
As a NATO member, Turkey can veto a country's admission to the military alliance.