Erdogan comments on Sweden and Finland’s request to join NATO

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan commented today, Tuesday, on the request of Finland and Sweden to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Erdogan said Turkey wanted results, not words, in response to its concerns.
In an effort to end decades of neutrality, Finland and Sweden have applied to join NATO. But they face opposition from Turkey over what it says is the two countries’ support for groups Ankara considers terrorists.
Turkey has held talks with the two countries and NATO to address its concerns, and has submitted written requests to officials in Sweden and Finland. She said that the response to her requests was not satisfactory and that she would oppose their request to join the alliance unless the two countries met her demands.
Before leaving for a NATO summit in the Spanish capital Madrid, Erdogan said he would meet with the leaders of Sweden, Finland and the alliance for talks on the membership application, adding that the two countries should take Ankara’s concerns into account for NATO membership.
“We will hold those four-way talks and we will see how far they go,” he told reporters at the airport.
“We do not want dry words, but results,” he added.
Erdogan’s spokesman and deputy foreign minister met Swedish and Finnish officials in Brussels on Monday for consultations on the membership application ahead of the four-way talks. Turkish officials and Western diplomats said a breakthrough in Madrid was unlikely.
Erdogan said he would explain Turkey’s position to allies at the summit and in bilateral meetings. He added that he spoke to Biden, this morning, Tuesday, and they will meet later today or tomorrow, Wednesday, at the request of the US President.
The White House later confirmed that Erdogan and Biden would meet in Madrid.