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By Anna Skinner
Associate News Editor
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Sweden needs to take more action to combat Islamophobia if the nation hopes to join NATO, the leader of Turkey has asserted.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has labeled Sweden's alleged inaction against Islamophobia as one of Turkey's "red line" items standing in the way of approving Sweden's year-long bid to join NATO.
Russia's invasion in Ukraine was among the reasons for NATO applications from Sweden and Finland, countries which have been known for their neutral stance in the past century when it comes to global conflict. Finland's application was approved in less than a year, and it joined NATO officially in April, further strengthening the alliance.
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Sweden, however, is encountering resistance from NATO members Turkey and Hungary.
Alleged Islamophobia is only one of the hurdles standing in Sweden's way in joining NATO. Erdogan also expressed concerns against claims that Stockholm refused to turn over alleged terrorists from the Kurdistan Workers' Party, a Kurdish militant political organization that mostly operates in southeastern Turkey and northern Iraq.
The group has been outlawed in Turkey, and Erdogan criticized Sweden's allegedly relaxed state against taking action toward the groups that Turkey deems harbor terrorists.
Erdogan also spoke out against a Quran burning protest held in Sweden's capital last week.
"We have made it clear that the determined fight against terrorist organizations and Islamophobia are our red line," Erdogan said on Monday after a cabinet meeting according to a report by Russian news outlet RT. "Everyone must accept that [Turkey's] friendship cannot be won by supporting terrorism or by making space for terrorists."
Erdogan went on to make clear that he would not ratify Sweden's NATO application until the nation took action against terrorists and Islamophobia.
Sweden and Finland signed a memorandum with Turkey last year, according to the RT report, and agreed to acknowledge and address Erdogan's concerns against the supposed terrorist groups. However, the memorandum did not include stipulations against Islamophobia.
In April, Finland's approved application brought NATO membership to 31 countries. In addition to Finland, NATO membership includes the United States, United Kingdom, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Albania, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Croatia, Czech Republic, Poland, Estonia, Romania, Germany, Slovakia, Greece, Slovenia, Hungary, Spain, Turkey, Latvia and North Macedonia.
In order for a country to join NATO, all members must approve a nation's request. By expressing concerns and refusing to greenlight Sweden's membership application, Turkey and Hungary have the ability to derail the efforts to join the bloc. Hungary expressed concerns after Sweden criticized Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's policies on democracy and the rule of law. Hungary accused Stockholm of taking a "hostile attitude" against Budapest, according to a report by Reuters.#
Hungary has said "grievances" hold up ratification of Sweden's NATO accession
NATO also anticipates that Ukraine will become a member, although a timeline for the approval has not been set.
Newsweek reached out to NATO through an online media request form for comment.
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