Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, Jul 06, 2025

Turkey demands Sweden take concrete steps prior to NATO approval

Turkey demands Sweden take concrete steps prior to NATO approval

Ankara is demanding that Sweden and Finland extradite Kurdish rebels before lifting a veto on their membership bid.

Ankara has conveyed its request for Sweden to work towards countering “terrorism” threats before clearing the country’s application to join NATO, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said.

“We understand their security concerns, and we want Sweden to respond to ours,” Erdogan said after meeting Sweden’s prime minister at the presidential palace in Ankara on Tuesday.

The Turkish leader, who has accused the Scandinavian nation and its neighbour Finland of harbouring Kurdish rebel groups that are outlawed in Turkey, added that he “sincerely wished” that Sweden joined the US-led military alliance.

Another meeting on the NATO membership bid was scheduled for later this month, he said, without specifying the date.

Sweden and Finland abandoned their longstanding policies of military nonalignment and applied for NATO membership this year after Russian forces invaded Ukraine in February, fearing that Russian President Vladimir Putin might target them next.

But Turkey, which joined NATO in 1952, has not yet endorsed their accession, which requires unanimous approval from existing alliance members.

Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said he understood Turkey’s fight against “terrorism” and promised to respond to its requests.

Erdogan has demanded that Oslo and Helsinki extradite members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has battled against the Turkish state for decades and is considered a terrorist group by Ankara and its Western allies.

Turkey accused Sweden, in particular, of leniency towards the PKK and its Syrian offshoot, the People’s Protection Units (YPG). In June, it said it had provided Oslo and Helsinki with a list of people it wanted extradited.

The PKK is blacklisted by Ankara and most of its Western allies. But the YPG has been a key player in the US-led military alliance combatting the ISIL (ISIS) group in Syria.

Kristersson described Tuesday’s meeting with Erdogan as “very productive”.

“Sweden will live up to all the obligations made to Turkey in countering the terrorist threat,” he said.

“My government was elected just a few weeks ago on a mandate to put law and order first. And this includes countering terrorism and terrorist organizations like the PKK in Sweden,” he added.

While Sweden has in the past voiced support for the YPG and its political wing, Kristersson’s government appears to be distancing itself.



The Swedish parliament said it would vote next week on a constitutional amendment that would make it possible to strengthen “anti-terror” laws, a key demand from Turkey.

The amendment would enable new laws to “limit freedom of association of groups involved in terrorism”, the parliament said in a statement, adding that the vote was scheduled for November 16.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg visited Ankara last week to press the case for Sweden and Finland, saying their accession would “send a clear message to Russia”.

Stoltenberg stressed the two had agreed on concessions to Turkey in June, which included addressing its request for “terror suspects” to be deported or extradited.

Finnish President Sauli Niinisto told journalists on Monday he expected joining NATO would “happen in reasonable time”.

In August, Sweden announced it had decided to extradite to Turkey a man in his 30s who was wanted for fraud. The move was the first case since Turkey demanded collaboration on extraditions from Stockholm.

Turkey lifted its veto over Finland and Sweden’s bid in June after weeks of tense negotiations. Turkey has since expressed frustration over the lack of progress.



Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
×