FM Speaks On Sweden NATO Bid, Ukraine War, US Relations

Wires reporting comments from Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, who is attending the NATO foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels. States that Sweden 'needs to take further steps for Turkey's ratification of its NATO bid'. This follows the official admission of neighbouring Finland into the alliance on 4 April.

• Cavusoglu also states that during talks with his US counterpart Anthony Blinken they discussed the Sweden bid, as well as the USD20bn sale of F-16 fighter jets to Ankara. The US Congress has refused to approve the sale until Turkey ratifies Sweden's NATO accession, a move that has seen some Turkish politicians call for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to junk the deal in favour of a non-US alternative.
• Cavusoglu says that he is set to talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The minister states that he is 'concerned' about both Ukraine and Russia preparing renewed offensives in the spring.
• Calls US Ambassador to Turkey Jeff Flake's meeting with main opposition presidential candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu 'unacceptable'. Earlier this week Erdogan criticised Flake's actions, saying that "Our doors are closed to him from now on because he does not know his place. You should know how an ambassador should act,”