Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Israeli media platform: The Degel HaTorah party, which has four members in the Knesset, announces its withdrawal from Netanyahu's cabinet.
Local Syrian sources: The raids targeted the road between the village of Al-Mazra'a and the city of Sweida, where forces and factions affiliated with the Syrian Ministry of Defense are advancing.
Local Syrian sources: New raids carried out by Israeli warplanes targeted vehicles and gatherings of military factions affiliated with the new Syrian Ministry of Defense.
Local Syrian sources: Israeli raids target, for the third time, gatherings of Syrian Defense Forces military factions in the southern countryside of Sweida.
The Ministry of Health in Gaza: Gaza Strip hospitals received 120 martyrs and 557 wounded in the past 24 hours.
The Israeli Walla! website: We are running out of stockpiles, our forces are exhausted, and the lives of the captives are in danger. It is time for a ceasefire deal in Gaza.
Several wounded in an Israeli bombardment of a tent in al-Mawasi, south of Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli media: Three wounded, three killed in an ongoing operation in the Gaza Strip.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in southern Lebanon: Israeli artillery shelling targets the outskirts of the town of Shebaa
Al-Qassam Brigades: The targeting took place at the intersection of 'Street 5' with the western line north of Khan Younis

Erdogan conditions support for Nordic nations' NATO bids

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 21 May 2022 20:39
2 Min Read

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday that Turkey will look into Finland and Swedenjoini only if the nation's concerns are addressed.

  • x
  • Erdogan conditions support for Nordic nations' NATO bids.
    Erdogan conditions support Nordic nations' NATO bids.

Despite widespread support from other allies, notably the United States, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated on Saturday that Turkey would not look "positively" on Sweden and Finland's NATO ambitions until its terror-related worries were addressed.

Turkey has long accused Nordic nations, particularly Sweden, of housing banned Kurdish militants as well as supporters of Fethullah Gulen, the US-based preacher wanted in connection with the attempted 2016 coup.

Since NATO choices require unanimity, Erdogan's ultimatum poses a significant potential barrier to the membership of the formerly militarily non-aligned Nordic nations.

"Unless Sweden and Finland clearly show that they will stand in solidarity with Turkey on fundamental issues, especially in the fight against terrorism, we will not approach these countries' NATO membership positively," Erdogan told NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg in a phone call, according to the presidency.

Read next: NATO: Turkey's concerns to be addressed regarding new NATO members

Related News

'Turkey has won': Erdogan hails PKK disarmament

Iraq welcomes PKK’s disarmament as step toward regional stability

Stoltenberg wrote on Twitter that he spoke with Erdogan "of our valued ally" on the importance of "NATO's open door".

"We agree that the security concerns of all allies must be taken into account and talks need to continue to find a solution," he said.

Stoltenberg said Turkey's "concerns" were being addressed to find "an agreement on how to move forward". 

Earlier, on Thursday, the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed determination to block Sweden and Finland's application to enter NATO, calling Sweden a "complete terror haven."

The two countries will be abandoning their non-alignment policy as they bandwagon on NATO expansion. On Wednesday, the two countries submitted a joint application for NATO membership.

However, Erdogan is threatening to block the bid, stressing that Stockholm is "a complete terror focus, a complete terror haven," in a video broadcast on Thursday.

"We will continue this policy in a determined fashion and we told relevant parties that we will say 'no' to Finland and Sweden joining NATO," according to the Turkish leader.

  • Nato
  • Recep Tayyip Erdogan
  • Turkey
  • Nordic nations

Most Read

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Major ambush in Gaza kills 6 Israeli troops, injures dozens

Major ambush in Gaza kills 5 Israeli troops, injures 14

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Israeli soldiers are seen in Beit Hanoun ahead of an operation by the al-Qassam Brigades, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

'Israel' on blast as media exposes report discrepancies in Gaza ambush

  • Palestine
  • 8 Jul 2025
Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

  • Politics
  • 9 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Al Mayadeen: UN Palestine Inquiry members reportedly resigned
Politics

Al Mayadeen: UN Palestine Inquiry members reportedly resigned

Rutte, Trump
US & Canada

Trump threatens 100% secondary tariffs on Russia, sets deadline

Syrian government soldiers on a motorcycle pass by a burning tank on the outskirts of Sweida city, where clashes erupted between the Druze community and Bedouine clans, in southern Syria, Monday, July 14, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Israeli airstrikes target Syrian military factions near Sweida

Lebanon, US, disarmament
MENA

US pressure on Lebanon grows over Resistance disarmament plan

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS