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Francisco Seco/AP
ISTANBUL — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed assist early Saturday for Ukraine becoming a member of NATO, saying the war-torn nation deserves to hitch the alliance.
Erdogan made the remark at a joint information convention with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who arrived in Turkey as a part of a European tour to rally assist for Ukraine’s entry into the navy alliance after the warfare with Russia involves an finish.
NATO leaders assembly in Vilnius, Lithuania, subsequent week are anticipated to reaffirm that Ukraine will be part of their alliance someday.
“There isn’t a doubt that Ukraine deserves NATO membership,” Erdogan advised reporters,
His assist for Ukraine comes as Turkey has been holding off giving its closing approval to Sweden becoming a member of NATO, saying Stockholm is just not successfully cracking down on Kurdish militants and different teams that Ankara views as threats to its safety.
Sweden, together with Finland, deserted its decades-long neutrality and utilized to hitch NATO following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine final 12 months. Turkey’s parliament ratified Finland’s membership earlier this 12 months, after Ankara voiced satisfaction with its efforts to handle Turkey’s safety issues.
Francisco Seco/AP
Erdogan additionally mentioned Turkey was working towards extending a Turkish- and U.N.-brokered grain deal that has paved the best way for the cargo of greater than 30 million tons of Ukrainian grain by way of the Black Sea.
The deal, which helped mood rising world meals costs, is ready to run out July 17. Russia has been reluctant to increase the deal, citing obstacles to its personal exports of meals and fertilizer.
“We’re persevering with our work on the grain hall problem. We’re working to see how lengthy we are able to lengthen it after July 17,” Erdogan mentioned.
Zelenskyy accused Russia of obstructing the motion of ships.
“Russia behaves as if it owns the whole Black Sea, as if it’s the proprietor right here,” mentioned Zelenskyy, making his first journey to Turkey since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Erdogan mentioned Russian President Vladimir Putin would go to Turkey in August, when he hoped to debate renewal of the Black Sea grain deal in addition to a attainable prisoner swap.
Turkey has maintained shut ties with each Ukraine and Russia, utilizing its relations to each to behave as a mediator.
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