Turkey Still Does Not Approve Sweden-Finland Joining NATO, President Erdogan: Television Still Broadcasts Speech Of Terrorist Leader

JAKARTA - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stressed that his party could not accept the joining of Sweden and Finland to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), as long as there was public space given to terrorist groups.

"Swedish television broadcasts interviews with leaders of terrorist groups. We can't say 'welcome to NATO' after this. The same goes for Finland," said President Erdogan, quoted from TASS on June 9.

In a press statement on the sidelines of receiving the visit of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, President Erdogan underlined, "NATO is an organization to guarantee security, it is not an organization to support terrorism."

The Turkish president received Maduro in the capital Ankara on Wednesday to discuss bilateral relations and steps to improve them.

Sweden and Finland officially signed up to join NATO last month, a decision prompted by Russia's war in Ukraine, which has been going on since February 24, Daily Sabah reported.

But Turkey, a longtime member of the alliance, has voiced objections to the offer of membership, criticizing the Nordic countries for tolerating and even supporting terrorist groups.

All membership applications must be met unanimously in a 30-member alliance to be successful. Ankara's main demand is for the Nordic countries to stop supporting the PKK and the YPG terrorist group present on their territory.

In addition, Turkey also wants the lifting of the ban on the sale of some weapons to Turkey. Ankara says arms bans against allies are inappropriate for would-be security pact members.