Niinistö, Erdoğan discuss Finland´s NATO bid over phone

President Sauli Niinistö on Saturday held a telephone conversation with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and discussed Finland’s NATO membership application.

During the phone call made by Niinistö, the Presidents also discussed the security of the whole Euro-Atlantic region and the fight against terrorism, said the President Office in a release in the afternoon.

Finland condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

“President Niinistö told President Erdoğan that as NATO Allies Finland and Turkey will commit to each other’s security and our bilateral relationship will thus grow stronger,” said the President Office release.

The Presidents agreed that the close dialogue between Finland and Turkey will continue.

Erdoğan said ignoring the terror threats a NATO ally faces is incompatible with the spirit of friendship and alliance, reported news agency Xinhua, quoting a statement of Turkish presidential office.

Turkey expects "respect and support for its legitimate and determined struggle against a clear threat to its national security and people," Erdogan was quoted as saying.

Erdoğan in another phone call told Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson that the Nordic country should end political, financial and weaponry support to "terror organizations."

Turkey expects Sweden to take concrete steps to address its concerns about the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party and its extensions in Syria and Iraq, Erdogan noted.

He also urged Sweden to lift the arms exports embargo imposed on Turkey after the latter launched a cross-border military operation in Syria in 2019.

Erdoğan also told NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg via phone that Turkey would not approach Sweden's and Finland's NATO bids positively unless they stand for Turkey's fundamental issues, especially in the fight against terrorism.

Stoltenberg, for his part, stated that Turkey's security concerns should be addressed.

Earlier on May 16, Finland and Sweden formally submitted their applications for membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).

Turkey has been opposition the membership from before and after submission of the applications by Finland and Sweden.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on 13 May said that it was not possible for Turkey to support the possible NATO membership applications by Finland and Sweden.

Turkey has blocked discussions on Finland and Sweden's NATO accession hours after the countries officially launched their bids to join the alliance.

On 19 May, Erdogan said that Turkey would say "no" to Finland and Sweden's NATO membership bid, as the country would not make the same "mistake" again.

On the same day, US President Joseph R. Biden on Thursday underscored his commitment to support Finland and Sweden as they seek formal NATO accession while President Sauli Niinistö expressed willingness to discuss all the concerns Turkey may have regarding the membership of Finland and Sweden.