Turkey postpones a key meeting with Sweden and Finland over their bid to join NATO. Turkish officials say the meeting, scheduled for February in Brussels, will be postponed. The delay intensifies a standoff over an expansion of the alliance in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Turkey’s president has threatened to veto the country’s membership over alleged ties to Kurdish militants. Sweden’s centre-right government depends on parliamentary support from the traditionally anti-NATO, far-right Sweden Democrats party.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said earlier this month that he is confident Turkey will approve its NATO application. Sweden, Finland and Turkey signed an agreement last June during NATO’s summit in Madrid. They agreed to address Turkey’s extradition requests of alleged Kurdish militants and other people Turkey says are terrorists. Turkey says it is waiting for Sweden to take more concrete action against the militant Kurdistan Workers’ Party, known as the PKK. Turkey has fought a decadeslong war against the PKK, which is designated a terrorist organization by the European Union and the U.S. Members of the PKK’s Syrian branch have been part of an American-led military coalition against Islamic State extremists.
