Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has agreed to send Sweden’s accession protocol for joining NATO to the Turkish Parliament “as soon as possible,” according to NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. Stoltenberg made the announcement after discussions with Erdogan and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson ahead of a NATO summit in Lithuania. Sweden’s NATO membership has been delayed by objections from Turkey, but Stoltenberg expressed optimism that Turkey’s commitment to submitting the ratification documents to the Grand National Assembly would help secure approval.
In a surprise move, Erdogan also stated that he would block Sweden’s path to NATO unless European NATO members support Turkey’s bid to join the European Union. This new demand adds further uncertainty to Sweden’s NATO membership aspirations, as Turkey has already been blocking their entry due to concerns about Sweden’s stance on Kurdish militants. Erdogan’s meetings in Vilnius with Kristersson and European Council President Charles Michel focused on exploring the possibilities for cooperation and re-energizing relations between Turkey and the EU.
Turkey’s EU membership talks have been stalled since 2018, mainly due to concerns about democratic regression under Erdogan’s presidency, disputes with Cyprus, and human rights issues. This is the first time Erdogan has linked Turkey’s EU aspirations with Sweden’s NATO membership aspirations.
In a phone call on Sunday, Erdogan also discussed Turkey’s EU ambitions with U.S. President Joe Biden, emphasizing the need for a clear and strong message of support from NATO leaders. While the White House readout did not mention Turkish EU membership, Erdogan reiterated in Istanbul that after waiting 50 years for EU membership, it is time for Turkey to be given the opportunity. He called on countries that have hindered Turkey’s EU membership to pave the way for their own EU integration.
Sweden’s accession to NATO has been delayed by Turkey’s postponement of the ratification process in response to concerns about Sweden’s handling of security threats. Demonstrations against Turkey and Islam in Stockholm also raised doubts about reaching an agreement before the NATO summit. This delay has frustrated other NATO allies, including the United States. Despite the delay, the White House remains confident that Sweden will eventually join the alliance.
The NATO summit in Vilnius will also address how to strengthen Ukraine’s relationship with NATO without immediate membership and the security guarantees needed to prevent future Russian invasions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will join the summit in person to discuss these issues.
According to Stoltenberg, the most important priority is to support Ukraine in resisting the Russian invasion. He emphasized that Ukraine’s success is crucial before any membership discussions can take place.
In summary, Turkey’s President Erdogan has agreed to move forward with Sweden’s accession to NATO, but with the condition that European NATO members support Turkey’s bid to join the European Union. This development adds further complexity to Sweden’s NATO membership aspirations and highlights the need for cooperation between Turkey and the EU. The NATO summit in Vilnius will address these issues, as well as Ukraine’s relationship with NATO and the ongoing challenge of Russian aggression.
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