NATO reacted to Erdogan’s words

Reactions to the blatant burning of the Holy Quran by far-right politician Rasmus Paludan near the Turkish embassy in Sweden over the weekend are growing.

Last night, President Erdogan’s statements that he would prevent Sweden from joining NATO received a reaction from NATO, after the United States. The spokesman for the US State Department, Ned Price, announced yesterday, following Erdogan’s remarks, that he supports both Sweden’s and Finland’s accession to NATO.

Speaking to German media outlet Die Welt, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg condemned the incident in Sweden. However, Stoltenberg criticized Erdogan’s statements to block Sweden’s membership in NATO. “Freedom of expression is an important value in Sweden and other NATO member countries. Therefore, these inappropriate actions cannot automatically become illegal.”

Stoltenberg said the Swedish government clearly condemned this heinous attack, saying: “I am in close contact with Finland and Sweden, of course, also with our ally Turkey. Sweden’s and Finland’s NATO membership should not collapse in the final stretch either. Speaking to German media, Stoltenberg said: “I request that Hungary and Turkey, which have not yet approved the two countries’ NATO membership, speed up their procedures in their parliaments.”