(MENAFN) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held talks with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg in Istanbul on Sunday. The meeting took place at the Dolmabahce Palace, but no further details about the discussions were shared by the Turkish presidency. This closed-door meeting allowed the two leaders to engage in important conversations regarding regional and international matters.
The meeting between Erdogan and Stoltenberg followed the inauguration ceremony of President Erdogan on Saturday, where Stoltenberg was in attendance. Stoltenberg had previously congratulated Erdogan on his reelection victory, expressing his support and discussing key issues for the upcoming NATO Summit in Vilnius. Topics of discussion included continued support for Ukraine, strengthening deterrence and defense measures, and finalizing Sweden's accession to NATO.
It is worth noting that Finland and Sweden applied for NATO membership in the aftermath of Russia's aggression in Ukraine. While Türkiye approved Finland's membership, it is currently awaiting Sweden's adherence to a trilateral memorandum signed in Madrid last year. The memorandum was designed to address Ankara's security concerns. Türkiye's stance reflects its commitment to ensuring that its security interests are adequately addressed before supporting Sweden's accession to NATO.
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