But still a breakthrough when Finland and Sweden join NATO?
Erdogan announces telephone calls
Created: 05/21/2022, 09:46 am
Because of the Ukraine war, Sweden and Finland want to join NATO, but Turkey blocks.
Now Erdogan wants to hold important talks.
Russia, meanwhile, is alarmed.
The news ticker.
Breakthrough in the planned NATO accession of Finland and Sweden?
Erdogan wants to call Stoltenberg.
Erdogan
still on the
other hand
: The Turkish President reiterated his negative attitude towards joining NATO in the midst of the Ukraine conflict.
Russia stops gas deliveries to Finland
: Moscow has stopped gas deliveries to Finland.
This
news ticker on Sweden's and Finland's plans to join NATO
is constantly being updated.
Ankara/Moscow - Will this phone call bring about a breakthrough when Finland and Sweden plan to join NATO as a result of the Ukraine war?
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wants to call NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Saturday because of his blockade of NATO accession.
He will talk to the Finns and the British on Saturday and "after that we will also talk to the Secretary General of NATO," Erdogan said on Friday.
"We will continue telephone diplomacy," emphasized the Turkish head of state.
Finland and Sweden joining NATO: Erdogan still opposed
But Erdogan also repeated his rejection of the two Nordic countries joining NATO.
"We cannot say 'yes'" to Sweden and Finland, Erdogan reiterated.
He accuses Finland and Sweden of being too lax towards "terrorist organizations" such as the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and of stopping arms deliveries to Turkey.
Under the impact of the Ukraine war, Sweden and Finland, after decades of military neutrality, had made a U-turn and decided to join NATO.
Originally, NATO had hoped that the ambassadors of the 30 member countries would be able to extend the invitation to Finland and Sweden very quickly after the application for membership.
Erdogan is now delaying the process.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wants to talk to the Finnish government about their plan to join NATO.
© Turkish Presidency via AP/dpa
Finland and Sweden joining NATO: Russia speaks of a threat
Meanwhile, Moscow's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has stressed that the planned NATO accession of Finland and Sweden poses a threat to Russia.
The situation on Russia's western border is characterized by a growing military threat, Shoigu said at a ministry meeting on Friday.
Finland and Sweden, as Russia's neighbors, have applied to be included in the military bloc, which means that tensions in Russia's western military district are now increasing significantly.
Twelve new military bases should be built there by the end of the year, Shoigu announced.
also read
"Like 1945": Putin is confident of victory - but the West puts the next damper on Russia
Suddenly serious words on Putin's propaganda TV - "It will definitely get worse"
"At the same time, the US and NATO are increasing the extent of their operational and military preparations on our borders," Shoigu said.
Specifically, he also complained that the member states of NATO were holding a new maneuver in front of Russia's borders.
He was referring to the ongoing Defender Europe 2022 exercise.
Due to planned NATO accession: Russia stops gas supply to Finland - dispute over ruble payments
Russia suspended its gas supplies to Finland on Saturday morning as announced.
The Russian state-owned company Gazprom said that the Finnish utility Gasum did not pay its payments in rubles, as requested by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
According to Gazprom, Finland received two-thirds of its gas from Russia last year.
That was a total of 1.49 billion cubic meters of gas.
The company in Espoo also informed on Saturday morning about the cessation of deliveries.
Gasum will supply customers with gas from other sources via the Balticconnector pipeline starting immediately and during the summer season, the statement said.
The network continues to function normally.
Previously, Russia had also turned off the gas supply to Poland and Bulgaria because they do not pay in rubles.
Because of planned NATO accession: Russia stops gas supply - Finland is relaxed
"However, we have carefully prepared for this situation, and if there are no disruptions in the gas network, we will be able to supply all of our customers with gas in the coming months," said Gasum boss Mika Wiljanen, according to the announcement on Friday.
According to Finnish Radio, gas accounts for only about five percent of the energy mix in Finland.
However, almost all of the gas comes from Russia.
According to Gasum, it was currently the only energy company in Finland to obtain gas directly from Russia.
dpa/AFP