Saturday, May 24, 2025
Rainbow Radio
  • Home
  • General News
  • Governance
  • Sports
  • Politics
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Economy
  • Home
  • General News
  • Governance
  • Sports
  • Politics
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Economy
No Result
View All Result
Rainbow Radio Online
Home World

Turkey threatens to block Finland and Sweden Nato bids

May 17, 2022

Turkey’s president has restated his opposition to Finland and Sweden joining Nato – just hours after they said they would seek membership.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the two Nordic nations should not bother sending delegations to convince Turkey, a key Nato member, of their bids.

RelatedPosts

Ugandan activist alleges she was raped while in Tanzanian detention

Trump administration ends Harvard’s ability to enrol international students

Trump ambushes S African leader with claim of Afrikaners being ‘persecuted’

He is angered by what he sees as their willingness to host Kurdish militants.

Without the support of all Nato members, Sweden and Finland cannot join the military alliance.

On Monday, Sweden said Europe was living in a dangerous new reality, referring to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said the move by Finland and Sweden to join the 30-member military alliance did not threaten Moscow directly – but stressed that any expansion of military infrastructure would trigger a response from the Kremlin.

At a news conference on Monday, Mr Erdogan said Turkey opposed the Finnish and the Swedish bids to join Nato, describing Sweden as a “hatchery” for terrorist organisations.

“Neither of these countries have a clear, open attitude towards terrorist organisation. How can we trust them?” the Turkish president said.

Turkey accuses the two Nordic nations of harbouring members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a group it views as a terrorist organisation, and followers of Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara accuses of orchestrating a 2016 coup attempt.

All member states must agree that a new country can join Nato, therefore Sweden and Finland require Turkey’s support in their bid to join the military alliance.

Mr Erdogan said Swedish and Finnish delegations should not bother going to Ankara, Turkey’s capital, to convince it to approve their Nato bid.

His government has also pledged to block applications from countries that have imposed sanctions on it.

In 2019, both Nordic nations slapped an arms embargo on Ankara after its incursion into Syria.

Speaking in parliament in Helsinki on Monday, Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said he was surprised by Turkey’s stance, but added that his government was not interested in “bargaining” with Mr Erdogan.

Finland formally announced its bid to join Nato last week.

It was joined by neighbour Sweden on Saturday in a move that will end the Scandinavian country’s centuries-long military non-alignment.

“Nato will strengthen Sweden, Sweden will strengthen Nato,” Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said at a briefing on Monday.

She said Europe was now living in a dangerous new reality, referring to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“We are leaving one era behind us and entering a new one,” Ms Andersson told lawmakers during a debate in Stockholm, also on Monday.

She said a formal application could be handed within several days and would be synchronised with Finland. Nato has signalled its willingness to admit the two new members.

However, Ms Andersson stressed that Sweden did not want permanent Nato bases or nuclear weapons on its territory.

Norway, Denmark and Iceland – all Nato members – immediately said they were ready to support Sweden and Finland by all means necessary if they came under attack.

The UK, also a Nato member, has already given security guarantees to Sweden and Finland to cover the transition period.

Monday’s announcement by Sweden came as Nato began one of its biggest exercises in the Baltic region, involving some 15,000 troops. Named “Hedgehog”, the drills in Estonia involve 10 countries, including Finland and Sweden.

Source: BBC

ShareTweetShareShare

Related Posts

WOMAN

Ugandan activist alleges she was raped while in Tanzanian detention

May 24, 2025
5954d570-373d-11f0-a5ca-3b23cbd75bec.jpg

Trump administration ends Harvard’s ability to enrol international students

May 22, 2025
RAMA

Trump ambushes S African leader with claim of Afrikaners being ‘persecuted’

May 22, 2025
UK UK

UK steps up action against Israel over Gaza offensive

May 21, 2025
kankam-439x375

UK-born Ghanaian caught smuggling 22kg cannabis from Canada spared jailGhanaian food recipes

May 21, 2025
Screenshot_20250520-150629

China to give $500 million to WHO in next 5 years, official says

May 20, 2025

Recent News

obiri

‘Cedi’s appreciation also stems from former appointees spending hoarded funds’ – Analyst

May 24, 2025
WOMAN

Ugandan activist alleges she was raped while in Tanzanian detention

May 24, 2025
Screenshot_20250524-115904

Police arrest suspect for unlawful possession of weapons

May 24, 2025
Screenshot_20250524-112351

TPMC set to clamp down on traditional medicine practitioners breaching the law

May 24, 2025
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Muntaka-750x375

Monday, March 31, and Tuesday, April 1, 2025, declared as public holidays

March 23, 2025

Something drastic must be done about prices of property in Ghana-Lawyer

June 14, 2021

Rainbow Radio expands its platform presence on 92.4Fm in UK

September 5, 2022
Screenshot_20230811-133044

17-year-old boy caught having sex with a pregnant dog

August 11, 2023

Hello world!

obiri

‘Cedi’s appreciation also stems from former appointees spending hoarded funds’ – Analyst

travel4

Washington prepares for Donald Trump’s big moment

travel1

CS:GO ELeague Major pools and tournament schedule announced

obiri

‘Cedi’s appreciation also stems from former appointees spending hoarded funds’ – Analyst

May 24, 2025
WOMAN

Ugandan activist alleges she was raped while in Tanzanian detention

May 24, 2025
Screenshot_20250524-115904

Police arrest suspect for unlawful possession of weapons

May 24, 2025
Screenshot_20250524-112351

TPMC set to clamp down on traditional medicine practitioners breaching the law

May 24, 2025

Stay Connected test

  • 139 Followers
  • 20.2k Followers
  • 204k Subscribers
  • 23.9k Followers
  • 99 Subscribers
Rainbow Radio Online

© 2022 Rainbow Radio International

Navigate Site

  • General News
  • World
  • Sports
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Politics
  • Health
  • Opinion
  • Economy
  • Odd News
  • Culture
  • Lifestyle
  • Lifestyle
  • Governance
  • Technology

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result

© 2022 Rainbow Radio International

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
Go to mobile version