Sweden, Finland should take concrete steps against PKK/YPG terrorists, says Turkish president

By Busra Nur Cakmak

ANKARA (AA) - Türkiye's president told NATO's top official on Saturday that Sweden and Finland should take concrete steps against PKK/YPG terrorists.

In a phone call, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Jens Stoltenberg discussed Sweden and Finland's intention to join the NATO alliance, according to a statement by the Turkish Communications Directorate.

The two Nordic countries must commit to lifting an embargo that is currently in force against Turkish defense industry exports and ensure that they will not take any such action in the future, Erdogan told Stoltenberg.

Stoltenberg said he had a "good call" with Erdogan to discuss Finland and Sweden's NATO applications. "We agreed to continue the talks in Brussels and Madrid next week," the NATO secretary-general said on Twitter.

Sweden and Finland, amid their NATO bids, are under pressure from Türkiye to end their support for the PKK/YPG terror group, with Ankara saying that NATO is a security alliance and that any potential members must take a clear stance against terrorism.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK -- listed as a terror organization by Türkiye, the US and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children and infants. The YPG is the PKK terror group's Syrian offshoot.