Yenos Stoltenberg, the secretary-general of NATO, stated in Istanbul on Thursday that Finland and Sweden had fulfilled the requirements set down with Turkey in June and should be permitted to join the alliance soon.
At a joint press conference with the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Avuşoglu, Stoltenberg stated: “Finland and Sweden delivered their papers and I think it is time to make them a full membership member in the alliance.
I look forward to welcoming the two nations as full members of NATO in the near future, the Secretary-General of the Alliance said, adding that he will bring up the issue during a meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on tomorrow, Friday.
Next week, meetings between Olf Christmson, the incoming Swedish prime minister, and Turkish officials are anticipated.
It is interesting to note that the only two bloc members still holding out hope for the two northern nations to join are Turkey and Hungary.
Stoltenberg reaffirmed that more delivery operations are being made to Turkey and that the two nations are assisting Turkey in its fight against terrorism.
Turkey accuses Finland and Sweden of harboring Kurdish militants.
However, officials claimed that it was doubtful that Turkey would grant Sweden’s request to join NATO before the end of the year and that there was little likelihood that this would occur even before the elections that are due for the following year.
calling Turkey to ask them to join Sweden and Finland in the alliance, says NATO Secretary-General
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