ISTANBUL: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday renewed his threat to “freeze” the NATO membership bids of both Sweden and Finland unless the military alliance complies with Ankara’s conditions.

At a NATO summit in Madrid at the end of June, Erdogan called on the two countries to “do their part” in the fight against terrorism, and accused them of providing a haven for outlawed Kurdish militants.

Speaking Monday, the eve of three-way summit with Russia and Iran, Erdogan told reporters; “I want to reiterate once again that we will freeze the process if these countries do not take the necessary steps to fulfil our conditions”.