Consultations between Türkiye, Sweden to be held in Turkish capital on Wednesday

By Merve Berker

ANKARA (AA) - Political consultations between Türkiye and Sweden will be held June 29 in the Turkish capital of Ankara, Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry said Tuesday amid the Nordic country’s attempt to get approval to join NATO.

Talks will be “co-chaired by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Director for EU Affairs of Türkiye, H.E. Ambassador Mr. Faruk Kaymakci, and State Secretary of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Sweden, H.E. Ambassador Mr. Robert Rydberg,” according to a statement.

“During the consultations, bilateral relations between Türkiye and Sweden will be discussed extensively along with Türkiye-EU relations, and current regional and international issues,” it added.

Sweden and Finland formally applied to join NATO last month, a decision spurred by Russia's war on Ukraine.

But Türkiye, a longstanding member of the alliance, voiced objections to the membership bids, criticizing the countries for tolerating and even supporting terror groups.

Stoltenberg has constantly said that Türkiye has "legitimate concerns related to their fight against the PKK terrorist group and other organizations," and that the PKK is considered a terror organization by NATO, the EU, as well as Finland and Sweden.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.