Before the NATO summit, the Swedish head of government is making one last attempt to change Turkey’s mind.
(Photo: IMAGO/Le Pictorium)
Stockholm It is a last attempt by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson to change Turkey’s mind after all. It is his last attempt to get Sweden to join NATO ahead of the North Atlantic Defense Alliance’s summit next week in Lithuania’s capital, Vilnius.
Kristersson will make a brief visit to Washington on Wednesday to seek US President Joe Biden’s support for negotiations with Turkey. When he took office last October, the 59-year-old declared his country’s NATO membership a top priority.
But the conservative politician quickly found that Recep Tayyip Erdogan is a difficult opponent, one who is not easily persuaded by persuasion. Sweden is not meeting its demands, argued the Turkish head of government.
The country allows the burning of the Koran and supports “terrorist organizations” such as the Kurdish Workers’ Party PKK. Besides Turkey, only Hungary is refusing Sweden’s application for membership, although Budapest is obviously waiting for Turkey’s decision.
The Swedish head of government knows that the key to his country’s accession to NATO lies in Washington. Turkey has long wanted to buy US F-16 fighter jets. So far, however, the USA has not agreed to such a deal.
Observers in the US and Sweden believe that Erdogan’s refusal is a political gamble: if Washington sells the planes to the Turkish head of government, he could in return give up his blockade on Sweden’s NATO membership.
>> Read also: Turkey is nearing ratification of Sweden’s NATO bid
According to Jan Hallenberg, professor at the Institute for Foreign Policy in Stockholm, Kristersson’s trip to the USA is a clear signal to Turkey. “The absolutely most important signal before the Vilnius summit is to show that all other 28 NATO members, including the USA, are in favor of Sweden becoming a full NATO member,” he told the Swedish news agency TT.
In fact, Swedish accession would be of enormous importance for the defense alliance. Security in the Baltic Sea region had already been strengthened by Finland’s admission in April, and Sweden’s accession to NATO would reinforce this effect even further. Shortly after Russia’s attack on Ukraine, Finland and Sweden gave up their decades-long policy of neutrality and applied for NATO membership.
Experts assume that Erdogan is playing poker for this US plane.
(Photo: AP)
However, Turkey had expressed concerns about Sweden’s accession early on. Ankara made conditions for its approval, such as the resumption of arms deliveries and the extradition of Turkish citizens who are wanted in Turkey as terrorists.
After lengthy negotiations with Turkey, Finland and Sweden reached an agreement to overcome Ankara’s objections. But shortly thereafter, Erdogan renewed his criticism of Sweden.
The country harbors “PKK terrorists,” he claimed. To this end, he published a list of over 100 names of PKK members whom Sweden was supposed to extradite to Turkey. In Sweden, this demand met with a lack of understanding. “We have done everything we can and want,” said Prime Minister Kristersson, referring to Swedish law.
Nevertheless, Sweden made concessions to Türkiye. The country passed a new terror law, which came into effect earlier this month, criminalizing the recruitment, financing and training of rebels. In addition, Sweden is again supplying arms to Turkey.
For Ulf Kristersson, Turkey’s demands were fulfilled. But after a new demonstration, including the burning of the Koran, which was approved by the police with reference to freedom of expression a week ago in Stockholm, there was renewed sharp criticism from Ankara.
“The fact that the desecration of the Koran took place under police protection in Sweden is a disaster,” Erdogan said on Monday after a cabinet meeting.
The Turkish head of government has so far blocked Sweden from joining NATO.
(Photo: dpa)
Large sections of Turkish society agree on this issue. In addition, disappointment about the alleged lack of alliance aid for NATO partner Turkey is repeatedly expressed in the Turkish media. The conservative Turkish government is also receiving support from other countries in the world region for its critical attitude towards the burning of the Koran in Stockholm.
On the other hand, Kristersson can be sure of the support of US President Biden. Sweden must join NATO “as soon as possible,” the White House said. In the background, the US government is trying to mediate – and persuade Turkey to give up its blockade.
Last week US Secretary of State Antony Blinken phoned Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to mediate the matter. Tensions between Turkey and Sweden are increasingly viewed as a problem in Washington.
“I don’t want to talk about it now,” Biden replied tersely last week when asked about the conflict. Ulf Kristersson also seems almost annoyed when it comes to the tiresome topic. “The decision is in Turkey, we have done our job,” he said.
cooperation: Annett Meiritz and Ozan Demircan.
More: The NATO summit in Vilnius could be a turning point