Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated on Monday that the process of Sweden joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) depends on it honoring the tripartite agreement the two countries signed along with Finland.
"Turkey is a country that has always supported NATO's open door policy," Erdogan told reporters at Ataturk Airport in Istanbul before leaving for the alliance's summit in Vilnius. "We want our promises to be kept. First, clear the way for Turkey in the European Union, and let us clear the way for Sweden." He added that Turkey has been waiting at the EU's "door" for 50 years.
Commenting on the option of Ukraine joining the alliance, Erdogan insisted that "we believe that ending the war with a just and lasting peace as soon as possible will facilitate Ukraine's NATO membership process."
