Flags of Finland, NATO and Sweden. File photoANKARA, May 18Turkey understands Sweden and Finland's concerns about NATO membership, but Ankara's concerns should also be taken into account, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said. Finland and Sweden handed over to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday 
Turkish Foreign Minister Cavusoglu expects a productive meeting with Blinken»We understand the concerns of Sweden and Finland regarding NATO membership, but Turkey's concerns about security should also be taken into account,» Cavusoglu was quoted as saying by A Haber TV channel. Earlier, the Financial Times reported that Turkey blocked the start of the process of considering the application for Finland and Sweden to join NATO. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that Ankara cannot say yes to Finland and Sweden's membership in NATO because it cannot believe their assurances of ties with representatives of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, banned in Turkey. If Turkey agrees, NATO, according to Erdogan, «will not be a security organization, but will become a place where there will be many representatives of terrorists.» Russia has repeatedly noted that NATO is aimed at confrontation. The press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation stated that further expansion of the alliance would not bring greater security to Europe, NATO has an aggressive character. At the same time, he noted that he does not consider the entry of Sweden and Finland into NATO an existential threat to Russia. Sweden
