Stoltenberg names the condition for the entry of Finland and Sweden into NATO

Finland and Sweden are unlikely to become candidates for joining the alliance at the upcoming NATO summit if they do not comply with Turkey's demands, Anadolu news agency quoted NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg as saying.

"When an ally raises a problem, you have to solve it. That's how it's always been done," he said.

According to him, Sweden and Finland, as invited countries, will be able to take part in the alliance's summit in Madrid, which will be held on June 28-30.

At the same time, Stoltenberg noted that it would be "difficult" for them to gain a foothold as candidate countries if they did not respond to Turkey's demands by June 28.

Finland and Sweden against the background of the events in Ukraine on May 18 handed over to the NATO Secretary General an application for joining the alliance.

Turkey has blocked the start of the review process for these applications. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Ankara cannot say "yes" to the membership of Finland and Sweden in NATO, because it cannot believe their assurances about relations with representatives of the Kurdistan Workers' Party banned in Turkey.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that the country "needs a written agreement" with Sweden and Finland "on a concrete step" by these countries to stop their support for terrorism.