Erdogan dampens hopes of Sweden joining NATO in July

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has rejected mounting international pressure to approve Sweden’s NATO membership before the alliance’s upcoming meeting in July.

“Despite hopes that Erdogan would soften his stance following his recent re-election, his comments indicated no significant shift in position. Erdogan emphasized that Sweden must fulfill its own obligations before Turkey considers meeting its expectations.”

“Sweden and Finland, in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, ended their long-standing military non-alignment and applied to join NATO. While Hungary and Turkey, both NATO members, have ratified Finland’s membership, Sweden’s entry requires approval from all member parliaments. Unanimous support is necessary for new countries to enjoy the benefits and guarantees offered by the powerful defense alliance.”

“During a phone call with Erdogan, US President Joe Biden directly linked the potential sale of F-16 fighters to Turkey’s desire for a deal on Sweden’s NATO bid. Erdogan had expressed interest in working on an agreement regarding the fighter jets. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also discussed the matter with Erdogan during a visit to Istanbul. Erdogan highlighted the need for Sweden to address Turkey’s concerns, particularly regarding rallies held by Kurdish supporters of a group Ankara considers a terrorist organization.”

“Sweden has taken measures to address Turkey’s concerns, including agreeing to extradite a self-proclaimed Kurdish militant supporter convicted of drug trafficking in Sweden. The country has also strengthened its anti-terrorism laws. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken acknowledged that Turkey had raised concerns, but both Finland and Sweden had appropriately and effectively addressed them. The coming weeks will determine the progress and resolution of the issue.”