Erdoğan, Macron discuss Ukraine war, NATO expansion

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and French President Emmanuel Macron have discussed over the phone the ongoing war in Ukraine, prospects of NATO’s expansion with Sweden and Finland, as well as the state of bilateral ties, the Turkish Presidency has announced.

The presidency said the two president exchanged a phone conversation on May 26. Erdoğan and Macron, who have been active in efforts to mediate between Ukraine and Russia, reviewed the situation in Ukraine.

Erdoğan expressed his wishes for a just peace as soon as possible between the two sides, informing Ankara’s continued efforts to encourage both parties for dialogue and diplomacy.

They have also discussed the two Nordic states’ bid to join the NATO, according to the presidency. Erdoğan underlined that the contacts by Sweden and Finland with the PKK/YPG affiliated persons and institutions will not be in line with the spirit of alliance.

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, Sweden and Finland decided their decades-old military neutrality and join the NATO to enjoy the collective security of the alliance. The Nordic states formally applied to the NATO last week, but they need to secure the votes of all the 30 members to proceed with the procedures.

Turkey said it will not look favorably to Sweden and Finland due to their ties with the PKK and YPG whose high-ranking members enjoy shelter in these countries. It also blamed Sweden for imposing arms embargo on Turkey since late 2019.

Erdoğan recalled NATO’s status as a security alliance and that it will be impossible to give a green light to these nations’ NATO membership bid if they don’t change their attitudes and assure Turkey through a written agreement.

Sweden and Finland dispatched delegations to Ankara on May 25 to seek Ankara’s consent for the membership. They have been given a list of Turkey’s demands. The talks will continue in the coming days. The U.S. and other prominent countries want to approve these countries’ application to the alliance at the NATO leaders’ summit slated for June 29 and 30 in Madrid.