Turkey will support Finland, Sweden NATO bids after countries reach agreement

Finland’s president says Turkey has agreed to lift its opposition to Sweden and Finland joining NATO, a breakthrough in an impasse clouding a leaders’ summit in Madrid.

President Sauli Niinist says the three countries’ leaders signed a joint agreement after talks on Tuesday. He said the memorandum “confirms that (Turkey) will at the Madrid Summit this week support the invitation of Finland and Sweden to become members of NATO.”

2:06 Sweden tells Turkey it ‘will not be safe haven for terrorists’ as it seeks NATO membership

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has prompted Sweden and Finland to abandon their long-held nonaligned status and apply to join NATO.

But Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had blocked the move, insisting the Nordic pair change their stance on Kurdish rebel groups that Turkey considers terrorists.