Türkiye a significant actor in global politics: Danish foreign minister

Türkiye plays an important role in global and regional politics, including in the Middle East, Denmark's foreign minister has said at a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan.

Speaking at the conference in Ankara, Lars Lokke Rasmussen underlined that the two countries have been working closely to prepare legal regulations on burnings of the Quran in Denmark, where copies of the Muslim holy book have been desecrated in a string of incidents earlier this year by anti-Muslim figures and groups.

Denmark and Türkiye are also "good allies," he said, noting that though they "don't necessarily see eye-to-eye on all issues ... I'm convinced that we can strengthen our bilateral relations going forward."

The two top diplomats also discussed the Palestine-Israel conflict, with both highlighting that a two-state solution would be a precondition for peace.

Sweden's NATO bid

On Sweden's ongoing bid to join the NATO alliance, Rasmussen welcomed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sending Stockholm's accession protocol to the Turkish parliament for approval.

Erdogan signed Sweden's accession protocol on Monday and submitted it to Turkish lawmakers, who will have to ratify the decision for Stockholm to become the alliance's 32nd member.

Finland and Sweden applied for NATO membership soon after Russia launched a war in Ukraine in February 2022.

Türkiye approved Finland's membership to NATO in March but said it was waiting for Sweden to abide by a trilateral memorandum signed in June last year to address Ankara's security concerns.

'Global consequences' of Russia's actions

On the Russia-Ukraine war, Rasmussen said Denmark remains "unwavering" in its support of Kiev in its efforts to reclaim its territories and opposes Moscow's "war of aggression."

Russia's actions have "global consequences" for energy and food crises, he added, pointing out Türkiye's role in the signing of the Black Sea grain deal in July 2022 between Moscow and Kiev, with Turkish and UN mediation.

Amid efforts to continue Ukrainian agricultural exports after the collapse of the Türkiye-brokered Black Sea grain deal in July, Kiev and its partners have been looking for land routes to reach world markets from the war-ravaged country.

Russia refused to extend the grain deal, complaining that the West had not met its obligations and that there were still restrictions on its own food and fertiliser exports. Moscow was particularly critical of the restrictions on payments, logistics and insurance.