Turkish president heads to Lithuania for NATO summit

By Diyar Guldogan

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday departed for Lithuania's capital Vilnius to attend a NATO summit.

The two-day summit of NATO leaders will address the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, its challenges to NATO, and steps to strengthen the military alliance's defense and deterrence. Sweden's bid to join NATO bid will be also on the agenda.

On the sidelines of the summit, Erdogan is expected to hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts, including US President Joe Biden.

Finland and Sweden applied for NATO membership soon after Russia launched the war on Ukraine in February 2022.

Although Türkiye approved Finland's membership to NATO, it is waiting for Sweden to fulfill its commitments under the last year's tripartite agreement signed in Madrid during a NATO summit.

Previously, Erdogan underlined that Sweden cannot hope to join NATO as long as it gives shelter and a green light to terrorists and supporters of terrorists.

To join NATO, Sweden needs the approval of all of its current members, including Türkiye, which has been in the alliance for over 70 years and boasts its second-largest army.