Turkey Expects Allied Real Steps, President Erdogan: Expansion Of Alliances That Neglect Security Does Not Benefit Us Or NATO

Presiden Turki Recep Tayyip Erdogan. (Sumber: Presidency of The Republic of Turkiye)

JAKARTA - President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan criticized his North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies for failing to take action to address Turkey's security concerns.

President Erdogan said Ankara expects its NATO allies to take concrete steps to address its security concerns rather than make ineffective statements.

He referred to Sweden and Finland's recent applications for NATO membership. Both countries are considered to refuse to cooperate with Turkey in terrorist groups that threaten the country's national security.

Emphasizing Turkey's great contribution to NATO security and the vital role it plays for all of its allies, President Erdogan said a policy that ignores basic security issues will benefit no one.

"We believe that an expansionary policy that ignores fundamental security issues will not benefit us or NATO," said President Erdogan, quoted by the Daily Sabah May 24.

He also criticized Sweden for its sanctions against Turkey, saying Ankara would not ignore them.

President Erdogan further continued, NATO needs to respond to Turkey's security concerns at a time when alliance partnerships are most needed, amid Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine and other threats.

"At a time when we are dealing with Daesh (ISIS) cross-border rocket attacks targeting our cities and terrorist attacks, the air defense systems in our country are hastily removed by our allies," he criticized.

"Turkey has not received the support expected from its allies regarding meeting its defense needs, legitimate cross-border operations or counterterrorism struggles for 40 years," President Erdogan continued.

Sweden and Finland officially signed up to join NATO on Wednesday last week, a decision prompted by Russia's war in Ukraine, which began in February.

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

Presided Erdogan has put in place barriers for Sweden and Finland to join the alliance. He accused Stockholm, and to a lesser extent Helsinki, of supporting the PKK terrorist group and other groups Ankara views as terrorists and a threat to national security.

Turkey, which has NATO's second-largest army, has also accused the two Nordic countries of imposing restrictions on exports of defense industrial equipment to Turkey and failing to extradite the suspect wanted by Turkish authorities.

Sweden and Finland have imposed an arms export embargo on Turkey after their military operation attempted to clear northern Syria east of the Euphrates river of terrorists from the YPG, the Syrian offshoot of the PKK, in 2019.

Meanwhile, President Erdogan has described Sweden as an "incubation center for terrorist organizations," saying some of his lawmakers support the PKK, which is designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union.

In its more than 40-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union, has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40.000 people.

FETÖ and its US-based leader Fetullah Gülen orchestrated the failed coup on July 15, 2016, in which 251 people were killed and 2.734 injured.

Ankara accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.