Turkey’s President Agrees to Support Sweden’s Bid to Join NATO
In a significant development, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has agreed to support Sweden’s bid to join NATO, according to the military alliance’s chief Jens Stoltenberg. Stoltenberg made the announcement during a press conference late on Monday in Vilnius, Lithuania, where a NATO summit is scheduled to take place on Tuesday.
Stoltenberg stated that President Erdogan had confirmed his commitment to forwarding Sweden’s application to the Turkish parliament and ensuring its ratification. This move comes after months of Turkey blocking Sweden’s bid due to accusations of hosting Kurdish militants.
The news has been met with enthusiasm by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, who stated, “I am very happy, it is a good day for Sweden.” The Swedish government has made significant efforts to address Turkey’s security concerns, including amending the constitution, changing laws, expanding counter-terrorism operations against the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), and resuming arms exports to Turkey.
The endorsement from President Erdogan also garnered positive reactions from other world leaders. US President Joe Biden welcomed the commitment and expressed his readiness to work with President Erdogan and Turkey to enhance defense and deterrence in the Euro-Atlantic area. He also extended a warm welcome to Prime Minister Kristersson and Sweden as the 32nd NATO ally in a statement released by the White House.
German Foreign Minister Annalen Baerbock tweeted, “At 32, we’re all safer together,” emphasizing the importance of unity within the alliance. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak echoed this sentiment, stating that Sweden’s membership would “make us all safer.”
However, the process of Sweden’s accession to NATO is not set in stone. Turkey and Hungary are the only two NATO members yet to ratify Sweden’s membership application. Stoltenberg addressed concerns about Hungary’s position, stating that the country had made it clear they would not be the last to ratify. He expressed confidence that this issue would be resolved.
In a surprising twist, President Erdogan had earlier appeared to link Turkey’s support for Sweden’s NATO bid to the European Union re-opening frozen membership talks with Ankara. However, EU officials promptly dismissed this demand, emphasizing that the two issues were separate. Nevertheless, NATO announced that Sweden would actively support efforts to “reinvigorate Turkey’s EU accession process,” including the modernization of the EU-Turkey customs union and visa liberalization.
Turkey has had a long-standing desire to join the EU since its initial application in 1987. However, the accession process stalled due to concerns over the country’s drift towards authoritarianism under President Erdogan. However, Turkey’s role as a NATO leader with influence in Moscow, particularly during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has brought it into a unique position.
President Erdogan played a crucial role in brokering the Black Sea Grain Initiative, enabling Ukraine to export agricultural products from its ports. Despite frequent Russian threats to withdraw from the deal, Turkey has worked to keep it alive. Furthermore, Turkey has also supplied armed drones to Ukraine, further aggravating the Kremlin.
Russian officials were recently angered when Turkey allowed five former commanders of the Ukrainian garrison at Mariupol to return to Kyiv. This move goes against the terms of a prisoner exchange agreement last year, which Russia expected to be upheld until the end of the war.
While President Erdogan’s support for Sweden’s NATO bid signals a significant step forward, the official date for Sweden’s entry into the military alliance remains uncertain. It ultimately hinges on ratification by the Turkish parliament, which is expected to take place in the near future.
The NATO summit in Vilnius will provide a platform for further discussions and decisions regarding Sweden’s accession, as well as addressing the broader strategic challenges facing the alliance.