Swedish, Finnish responses fail to fulfill expectations: Turkish FM

By Trend

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavushoglu said that the documents sent regarding Sweden and Finland's NATO bids do not fulfill the Turkish government's expectations, Trend reports citing Daily Sabah.

Cavushoglu's statements came at a joint news conference with his Norwegian and Irish counterparts following meetings in the Turkish capital Ankara.

Besides the Nordic bids to enter the 30-nation alliance, the ministers also exchanged views on bilateral ties, the war in Ukraine, and the humanitarian situation in northern Syria.

The top Turkish diplomat said Finland and Sweden's responses did not address Turk's concerns, and Ankara has briefed both Stockholm and Helsinki, and NATO about the shortcomings.

Sweden and Finland formally applied to join NATO on May 18, a decision spurred by Russia's war on Ukraine, which began on Feb. 24.