Finnish and Swedish leaders are expected to meet with Turkey’s president in Madrid on the eve of a NATO summit this week.
The meeting follows the two Nordic countries’ bid for membership in the security alliance against resistance from Ankara.
Preparations for the Tuesday talks between Finnish President Sauli Niinistö, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Anderson, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to begin in Brussels on Monday.
According to the Finnish presidential office, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg is also expected to attend the meeting.
Both countries (Finland and Sweden) are ignoring their policies of non-military alignment and neutrality in the wake of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, with many of the population saying they would feel safer in the protection of NATO.
Their bid to join NATO has however been stalled by Turkey so far.
Mr Erdogan accused both countries of supporting terrorist groups banned in Turkey which include Kurdistan Workers’ Party and the YPG, a Kurdish militia stationed in Syria.
Finland and Sweden have however dismissed Turkey’s claims.
