In an interview with the American PBS TV channel, President Erdoğan also says that he trusts Russia as much as Western countries.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan terrorists roam freely in the streets of Stockholm, and Turkey cannot ratify Sweden’s NATO membership until Sweden keeps its promises.
In an interview with the American PBS channel Erdoğan refuses to give any timetable for the ratification of Sweden’s membership. According to the Turkish president, the matter will be discussed by the Turkish parliament at some point.
Parliament will return from recess at the beginning of next month.
Erdoğan states that Sweden has changed its laws, but it is not enough. According to him, the condition for accepting Sweden’s membership is, among other things, that terrorist organizations stop their demonstrations on the streets of Stockholm.
Stoltenberg promised quick ratification
In connection with the NATO summit in July, President Erdoğan and the Prime Minister of Sweden Ulf Kristersson met Secretary General of NATO Jens Stoltenberg announced after the meeting that Sweden’s NATO membership will be submitted to the Turkish parliament for ratification as quickly as possible.
The Turkish president has since made it clear that Sweden has not yet met the conditions set by Turkey. In Turkey’s opinion, Sweden does not effectively deal with, for example, the activities of supporters of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Sweden.
Erdoğan denied that there was a connection between Sweden’s acceptance of NATO membership and the F-16 fighter jets that Turkey is acquiring from the United States. It has been speculated that the US is pressuring Turkey with fighter jet deals.
In an interview with PBS, President Erdoğan also commented on his relationship with the Russian president Vladimir Putin. Erdoğan has been in contact with Putin and the leaders last met on September 4 in Sochi. According to the Turkish president, he trusts Russia as much as he trusts the West.
Turkey has not joined the sanctions against Russia and trade between the two countries has been growing rapidly. It has also been speculated that Russia acquires war-critical products through Turkey.