Turkey supports Finland, Sweden's bid for NATO membership

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Turkey supports Finland, Sweden's bid for NATO membership

Turkey has agreed to support Finland and Sweden's bids for NATO membership, according to NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.

It comes after a meeting between Mr Stoltenberg and the leaders of the three nations during a summit of the military alliance in Spain's capital, Madrid.

"I am pleased to announce that we now have an agreement that paves the way for Finland and Sweden to join NATO," Stoltenberg told reporters. Turkey, Finland and Sweden have signed a memorandum that addresses Turkey's concerns, including arms exports and the fight against terrorism. Sweden and Finland, both historically non-aligned countries, decided to join NATO after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo had threatened to veto Sweden and Finland's application to the military alliance over a series of issues, including an arms embargo placed by the two Nordic states on Turkey over its incursion into Syria to fight the Kurdish YPG militia in 2019.

Turkey was concerned with the extradition of Kurdish figures who had sought asylum in Finland and Sweden.

Turkey's main concern had been from Sweden's lack of action against Kurdish militant groups and their sympathisers, some elements of which Turkey said Sweden had been supporting.

The Turkish side is aware that Sweden has been too permissive about the actions of groups that Turkey considers to be terrorist entities, the former Turkish diplomat and director of Istanbul-based think tank Sinan Ulgen told the ABC ahead of the announcement.

The PKK is also on the terror list of both the EU and the US.

Sweden considers it a terrorist entity but hasn't been effective enough to combat its influence over its own territory. A joint memorandum that has been signed by the three countries addressing Turkey's concerns is expected to be released.

More to come.