Turkey says it is “meaningless” to restore NATO dialogue with Sweden, Finland

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Updated: Jan 26, 2023, 12:22 UTC

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Thursday it was "meaningless" to hold a trilateral meeting with Sweden and Finland to discuss their NATO bids after protests this month in Stockholm.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu

ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Thursday it was “meaningless” to hold a trilateral meeting with Sweden and Finland to discuss their NATO bids after protests this month in Stockholm.

Speaking at a news conference, Cavusoglu also said there is no offer to evaluate Sweden’s and Finland’s NATO membership seperately.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has said his country wanted to restore NATO dialogue with Turkey after Ankara indefinitely postponed trilateral talks with Sweden and Finland over their membership.

(Reporting by Ece Toksabay and Ali Kucukgocmen; Writing by Huseyin Hayatsever)

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