NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz have expressed their dissatisfaction with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's recent demand prior to

Sweden's accession to NATO. Stoltenberg confirmed that Sweden had fulfilled all the specific conditions outlined, while Scholz emphasized that Sweden's NATO membership and the ongoing accession negotiations between Turkey and the European Union should not be linked.

On the eve of the NATO summit in Vilnius, Erdogan presented an unexpected new demand. He stated, "First, pave the way for Turkey's accession to the European Union, and then we will pave the way for Sweden." Erdogan pointed out that Turkey has been waiting at Europe's door for nearly 50 years.

Nonetheless, Stoltenberg stressed that Sweden had met all the conditions set by Turkey, and he emphasized that Turkey must also take into account the security interests of other NATO member states. "It is still possible to reach a positive decision regarding Sweden's membership," stated NATO's Secretary General, prior to a planned meeting between the Turkish President and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also expressed his belief that Sweden has fulfilled all the necessary criteria for NATO membership. "I hope that we can soon succeed in welcoming Sweden as a member of NATO," he remarked.

Turkey and Hungary have been obstructing Sweden's accession for several months. Erdogan additionally mentioned his expectation of a visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to Turkey in August. Photo by UK Government Picture by Rory Arnold / No 10 Downing Street, Wikimedia commons.