ANKARA-UNS: Nato’s efforts to present a united front at a summit focused on helping Ukraine defeat Russia and Kyiv’s push to join the alliance were undermined on Monday by a shock Turkish ultimatum on Sweden’s membership bid.
As Ukraine’s forces claimed more advances against Russian positions, Nato’s 31 members agreed to simplify Kyiv’s eventual accession bid by dropping a requirement that it completes a formal road map of reforms.
Alliance leaders gathering in Vilnius on the eve of Tuesday’s summit were hoping a meeting between Erdogan and Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson would see the Turkish leader lift his veto on Sweden’s membership.
But President Recep Tayyip Erdogan appeared in no mood to compromise, declaring that he would only back Sweden’s Nato candidacy if European Union members — most of whom are also Nato allies — agree to revive Turkey’s negotiations to join the EU.
