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Image source, Reuters
Mr Erdogan says he will state his demand for new discussions about Turkey's EU membership at the Nato summit later this week
By Kathryn Armstrong
BBC News
Turkey's president has said his country will support Sweden's bid to join Nato if the European Union opens membership talks for his country.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he would state his demand at the Nato summit in Lithuania later this week.
He added that he had informed US President Joe Biden of his intentions.
Mr Erdogan's comments come ahead of a meeting with Sweden's prime minister and Nato's secretary general in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius.
Turkey has previously expressed frustration at what it has seen as Stockholm's willingness to host Kurdish militants.
Mr Erdogan recently said Sweden had taken steps in the right direction by changing anti-terror laws, but that he still had some complaints.
Hungary has also stalled on backing the Swedish bid, but said it will not delay the process if Turkey shifts its stance.
Sweden joined Finland in launching a bid to become a Nato member more than a year ago, in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Finland became the 31st member of the alliance in April after Turkey withdrew objections similar to those it has to Sweden's application.
Ankara's bid to join the EU has been frozen for years. Members voted to suspend talks on the issue in 2016 over Turkey's response to a failed coup attempt in 2016.
However, relations have improved since then, with the EU relying on Turkey's help over issues including migration.
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