NATO: Erdogan says he is ready to receive Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, October 20, 2022 in Brussels.

AP - Geert Vanden Wijngaert

Text by: RFI Follow

2 mins

The Turkish president agreed this Friday, October 21 to receive the Swedish Prime Minister, who had said he was ready the day before to go " 

 " to Ankara to obtain a green light for his country's accession to NATO.

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who threatens to block the entry of Sweden and Finland into the Atlantic Alliance, has again warned that the Turkish Parliament will ratify the arrival of the two Nordic states only if its demands are honored.

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With our correspondent in Istanbul,

Even if he has been repeating for months that he is not in a hurry for time, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan knows that he cannot indefinitely block the accession of Sweden and Finland to NATO.

At least, if we start from the principle that he does not wish – and that there is no interest – to provoke a crisis with his Western partners.

The question is therefore to know when the Turkish president will consider that he has obtained satisfaction from Sweden, since it is Sweden, more than Finland, that is in question.

Or rather, when will he consider that what he got from Ulf Kristersson is enough to claim victory in front of his public opinion?

Last month, Stockholm announced that it had lifted restrictions on the export of arms and ammunition to Turkey.

It was one of the Turkish demands, but not the main one, concerning the extradition of people whom Ankara calls " 

 ".

On this point, which is a matter for the judicial authorities, the Swedish government will not be able to respond to the many Turkish requests, and Tayyip Erdoğan knows it.

The Head of State therefore continues to negotiate behind the scenes, while displaying an intransigent posture in public.

He said he invited the Swedish Prime Minister in order to " 

" in the fight against terrorism.

►Read again: NATO: Sweden refuses to deny any promise of extradition made to Turkey

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• Turkey

• Recep Tayyip Erdogan

• Sweden

• NATO