It was during a press conference on Thursday that the Prime Minister was asked questions about Åkesson's statement from Expressen.
How do you view the statement from the party leader in the government's cooperation party?
- I wouldn't have expressed myself like that, but you have every right to express yourself as you want.
- I think it is important that we describe it as it is.
That is, it is a democracy - they are heading for elections now.
But also that there are recurring problems in the Turkish democratic state.
"The comparison between Putin and Erdogan completely invalid"
In an interview, Jimmie Åkesson compared Erdogan to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
- I am party leader of the anti-Islamist party SD and have strong views on an Islamist dictator like Erdogan.
He is elected, yes.
But so is Putin in that sense.
Ulf Kristersson does not agree with the comparison.
- I would not have expressed myself in that way at all, absolutely not.
Putin is currently responsible for one of the grossest abuses to have occurred on our continent since WWII so that comparison is completely invalid.
"The agreement applies"
The Prime Minister says that Åkesson's statements do not complicate the NATO process.
He refers to the agreement between Turkey, Sweden and Finland which, among other things, states that Sweden must hand over suspected terrorists to Turkey.
- It is the one that applies to what Sweden and Finland must achieve in order to be admitted to NATO also by Turkey.
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Sweden Democrats party leader Jimmie Åkesson describes Turkish President Erdogan as an "Islamist dictator".
Photo: Fredrik Sandberg/TT