Johnson joins push to convince Turkey on NATO entry for Finland, Sweden

Ankara has demanded Finland and Sweden repatriate 30 people it accuses of terrorism.

Turkey has become increasingly authoritarian over the past eight years of Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s rule. Picture: AFP

Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday night as Britain joined a diplomatic push to persuade the Turkish leader to endorse Sweden and Finland’s applications to join NATO.

Ankara has demanded the Nordic countries repatriate 30 people it accuses of terrorism because of their links to Kurdish groups or the dissident Gulenist movement. Sweden and Finland are reluctant to agree to the handover, with both states rejecting claims they are harbouring “terrorists”.

Turkey has become increasingly authoritarian over the past eight years of Mr Erdogan’s rule, which has seen the imprisonment of hundreds of activists, opposition members and journalists after show trials.

The Turkish President spoke to NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg and Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson on Saturday, but did not drop his objection to the Nordic countries joining. He discussed the issue with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Friday.

Ankara is believed to want an end to arms export restrictions ­imposed by several EU countries, including Sweden and Finland, in response to Turkish troops entering northern Syria in 2019. Turkish officials told Bloomberg the country wanted to re-enter a NATO program to equip allies with F-35 jets, from which Turkey was barred after purchasing S-400 missile ­defence systems from Russia.

Of the NATO leaders lining up to speak to Mr Erdogan, President Joe Biden of the US has been conspicuously absent. He chose instead to demonstrate support for the Nordic nations by appearing alongside their leaders at the White House on Thursday.

Should Finland join the ­alliance, Russia will have an extra 1335km of border with a NATO member. The Kremlin is planning to build new military bases on its western frontier in response. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Friday that Moscow would establish an additional “12 military units and divisions” with more than 2000 pieces of military hardware in the area.

Russia stopped supplying Finland with gas on Saturday after the Finns refused to bow to President Vladimir Putin’s demand to pay for it in roubles. Russia had warned of retaliation if Finland became a member of NATO.

Finland and Sweden formally applied to join the alliance on Wednesday.

The Times