Decoding the implications of Turkey’s deal with Finland and Sweden on NATO membership | In Focus podcast

Stanly Johny speaks to us on what Turkey wants from Sweden and Finland with regard to their NATO membership

From left: Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Finland’s President Sauli Niinisto, Sweden’s Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson and Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde posing for pictures after signing a memorandum during a NATO summit in Madrid. File. | Photo Credit: AFP

Last week, on the eve of the NATO summit in Madrid, Turkey, which had threatened to veto Finland and Sweden’s bid to join NATO, signed a tripartite agreement with the two countries. Under the agreement, Turkey has agreed to reverse its stand and endorse Finland and Sweden’s NATO membership application, in exchange for the two Nordic countries agreeing to stop supporting what Turkey calls Kurdish “terrorists”, who are apparently enjoying safe haven in Finland and Sweden. But three days later after signing this deal, Turkey again warned that it could still block the two countries’ NATO membership if it sees they do not meet Turkey’s expectations.

What exactly does Turkey want from Sweden and Finland? What is the substance of the tripartite agreement? And what are these Kurdish ‘terrorist groups’ that Finland and Sweden have supposedly given safe harbor to?

Guest: Stanly Johny, International Affairs Editor, The Hindu

Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu

Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian