Turkey links EU membership bid to dispute Sweden's NATO membership as summit looms

Ankara refuses to allow Stockholm to join the Western military alliance - and has now urged NATO countries to back its bid to join the exclusive bloc of Brussels

Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke before flying to Vilnius for the NATO summit (

Image: Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Turkish President wants to use Sweden's NATO membership bid to speed up Turkey's EU membership.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is speaking to Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg tonight, has suggested that Ankara will eventually approve Stockholm's bid - if NATO countries pressured the EU to allow Turkey to join.

The row is likely to overshadow the crucial NATO summit which begins tomorrow in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius. Mr. Erdogan said: “Turkey has been waiting at the door of the European Union for more than 50 years now, and almost all NATO member countries are now members of the European Union. I make this appeal to those countries that have kept Turkey waiting at the gates of the European Union for more than 50 years."

He added: "Come pave the way for Turkey to join the European Union. When you pave the way for Turkey, we will pave the way for Sweden as we did for Finland. . »

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson is due to meet NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan this evening (

Picture:

PA)

Finland and Sweden launched applications for NATO membership last year following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. While Helsinki was admitted in April, Sweden's membership has stalled. Months of tense negotiations have failed to break the deadlock - hampering Stockholm's hopes of benefiting from NATO's Article V self-defense and protection clause. He...