President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that Türkiye expected Sweden to “fulfill the promises and guarantees” it made to Ankara for approval of its NATO membership. Ednews reports citing Daily Sabah.
Speaking to reporters on his way home from a three-day Gulf tour and a visit to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on Friday, Erdoğan said Türkiye would closely follow the implementation of Sweden’s “pledges and guarantees” when the ratification process of its membership will be referred to the Turkish Parliament.
“We will take steps in accordance with steps they take. It will be in favor of Sweden to take concrete steps for counterterrorism and the extradition of terrorists, the issues sensitive for Türkiye,” he said.
He also spoke about his earlier remarks, ahead of the landmark Vilnius summit of NATO earlier this month where he said Türkiye expected the European Union (EU) to pave the way for Türkiye’s membership just as Türkiye paved the way for Sweden’s NATO membership.
“The EU membership of Türkiye, which has the second strongest army of NATO, will also energize and give extra power to the bloc,” he said.
