The Biden administration is currently seeking approval from Congress to finalize a sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, for which Ankara will likely seek assurances. Update, July 10, 3:55 pm ET: NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has announced that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoan has agreed to ratify Swedens NATO bid. Western governments hailed the Kurdish fighters as allies, and several EU countries put various embargoes on Turkey due to their targeting of Kurdish militias in Syria, highlighting the intractable differences between how each side perceived the fighters. Which means the thing everyone really wanted to happen that everyone would agree Sweden could join NATO, becoming its 32nd member might not happen in Lithuania. "That negotiation and peaceful deliberation and finding compromise is the way forward, so the way that the Western countries deal with Turkey in this situation I think can be illustrative to sort of the success of these institutions.". Even then, progress could be slow. Ultimately, experts expect the issue to be resolved. "It's not just a matter of Sweden's liberal policies towards Kurdish refugees and political dissidents and activists. Erdogan also targeted Stockholm in his remarks for its arms sanctions against Turkey. While Finland's NATO membership was green-lighted in April, Turkey and Hungary have yet to clear Sweden's bid. In June 2022, at NATOs summit in Madrid, Turkey struck a deal with Finland and Sweden: it would lift its veto in exchange for their lifting a partial arms embargo against Turkey, imposed after it invaded Syria in 2019. NATO currently has 31 members. Elections take place in Turkey in May. I told him we wanted a deal with Sweden, so lets get that done, Biden said after Erdogans election win in May. Most news outlets make their money through advertising or subscriptions. Mostly Sunni Muslim, they have their own unique language and customs. All rights reserved. But Swedish courts have blocked other extraditions, and Swedish officials have said that they cannot override their countrys free-speech protections. As such, Turkey can effectively veto the entry of Finland and Sweden. On July 9th President Joe Biden told his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, that he hopes to see Sweden join NATO as soon as possible. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the terms of the deal involved Sweden intensifying work on Turkish extradition requests of suspected fighters and amending Swedish and Finnish law to toughen their approach to them. Erdoan has continued to insist that Sweden has not done enough to crack down on people in Sweden with ties to Kurdish militants and other groups that Turkey has deemed terrorists. The most comprehensive solution to manage all your complex and ever-expanding tax and compliance needs. Sweden's bid to join is being discussed at the NATO summit in Lithuania. A recent Quran-burning outside a Stockholm mosque has added to tensions, as Turkey interprets these as Swedens permissive attitude toward anti-Islamic protests rather than freedom of speech. On July 10th Mr Erdogan said he would ratify Swedens membership of NATO if his country were admitted to the bloc. President Biden, who arrived in Vilnius on Monday, said in a statement that he welcomed Mr. Erdogans commitment to submitting Swedens bid for swift ratification by the Turkish Parliament. Turkey lays out demands as Finland, Sweden seek NATO membership. But joining NATO requires consensus approval from all existing members, and Turkey one of the group's most strategically important and militarily powerful members is not happy. When GPS fails, how can weapons find their targets? A new complication arose last month, after a man publicly burned a Quran at a protest in Stockholm on a major Muslim holiday. Turkey applied to join the European Union in 1987, but there has been scarcely any progress in its bid since 2016, when the European Parliament voted to suspend accession talks while criticizing a vast Turkish government crackdown on political opponents after a failed coup against Mr. Erdogan. Swedens application had been expected to be a central topic at the gathering, where NATO leaders are expected to make a show of their unity and resolve 16 months into Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine. "We are not. The three nations reached an agreement on how to proceed in Madrid last June, but Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has said Sweden, in particular, is not keeping its side of the bargain. Ankara demanded that the Nordic countries stop supporting Kurdish armed groups, such as the PKK, and lift their bans on the sales of some arms to Turkey. Finland's leaders on Thursday officially expressed support for applying to NATO "without delay," while Sweden's ruling party is expected to follow suit on Sunday. Turkeys objections appeared to have come as a surprise in Washington, whose relations with Ankara have been strained in recent years. By The Associated Press MADRID Turkey agreed Tuesday to lift its opposition to Sweden and Finland joining NATO, a breakthrough in an impasse clouding a leaders' summit in Madrid amid. But it is also clear that Sweden is not alone. However, it will not be unconditional.. Soviet leader Joseph Stalin invaded Finland in 1939, demanding more territories in the Karelian Isthmus, the strip of land situated between the Gulf of Finland and Lake Ladoga. Sweden has taken steps to meet Turkeys demands: as well as lifting the arms embargo it passed an anti-terrorism law which bans participation in terrorist organisations (including the PKK). But their acceptance to the alliance requires unanimous consent. Analysts expect the accession process to remain stalled until at least Turkey's elections are out of the way. Taken together, its not completely clear what is going to convince Erdoan. "But I think it's something that will be negotiated. Nearly 20% of Turkey's 84 million-strong population is Kurdish, with some Kurds holding important positions in Turkish politics and society, though many say they are discriminated against and their political parties face crackdowns from the Turkish state. He also thanked Mr. Stoltenberg for his steadfast leadership and added that he looked forward to welcoming Mr. Kristersson and Sweden as the alliances 32nd member. Mr Erdogan has recently cited another reason for stalling: EU membership. Swedish foreign minister: We won't be secure without NATO membership, Sweden and Finland want to join NATO. This week, Erdogan postponed accession talks indefinitely. 13 May 2022. Still, NATO may face gridlock for some time if Erdogan is not satisfied with Sweden and Finland's responses to his demands. Harvard scholar Oleh Kotsyuba and Northeastern University professors Maia Cross and Pablo Calderon explain why Turkey, one country in the alliance, can and would block Finland and Sweden from joining NATO in NBC10 Boston's weekly series,"Russia-Ukraine Q&A.". Officials and experts seem more measured in their optimism ahead of Vilnius, hoping Turkey changes its mind but recognizing it might not. The two countries have also provided support for and held high-level meetings with members of the YPG, which is the PKK's branch in Syria credited with helping defeat ISIS as well as fighting against Turkish forces. I don't see that happening.". But Erdoans definition of terrorists is pretty expansive, and often includes dissidents and others critical of his regime. Turkeys leader may feel powerful given the leverage that he hasbut his obstinacy is eating into the goodwill he has in the West. On their recent call Mr Biden and Mr Erdogan discussed Turkeys request to buy American F-16 fighter jets. Mr. Erdogan continued to say that Sweden must do more. The Turkish president accuses the Gulenists of staging a failed coup against his government in 2016. Sweden and Finland have long pursued policies of formal military non-alignment but Russia's invasion of Ukraine has prompted a rethink. Update, July 10, 1 pm: This story was originally published on July 8 and has been updated with Erdoans additional demands around Turkeys EU membership. First, clear the way for Turkey in the European Union, then we will clear the way for Sweden as we did for Finland, Mr. Erdogan told reporters before traveling to the summit, referring to his countrys decision to drop objections to the application of Finland, which joined the alliance in April. Kurdish fighters in Syria linked to the PKK played a major role in the fight against ISIS, receiving weapons support and funding from the U.S and Europe, including Sweden. "Right now it's a roadblock. All rights reserved, FIRST ALERT: Flash flood warnings expire across New England, When Will the War in Ukraine End? She has been a diplomatic and military correspondent in Washington and a war correspondent in Iraq, and has reported and edited from more than 60 countries over the last 25 years. It's also a reflection of differing definitions over who and what constitutes intolerable Kurdish extremism," Ibish said. Turkey considers any support for the Syrian YPG, which it views as an offshoot of the PKK, akin to support for the PKK. It is a little boost for Putin, whose aggression in Ukraine spurred this Nordic NATO expansion but who stands to gain from Turkeys obstructionism. On July 10th Mr Erdogan was due to meet the Swedish prime minister, Ulf Kristersson, for last-minute talks. Finland and Sweden also agreed not to impose embargo restrictions in the field of defence industry on Turkey and to take concrete steps on the extradition of terrorist criminals. Why Turkey Is Against Finland and Sweden Joining NATO. Bout countries see NATO, with its collective defence clause, as the best way to ensure their security. The essence of the alliance is the institution of mutual trust and solidarity. Erdoan may feel he can push this as far as he wants, but that may not necessarily be the case. Biden is expected to meet Erdogan during the summit. Even if Turkey has a case, Sweden has to follow due process and rule of law and cant just, say, extradite a bunch of people on a whim. Sweden and Finland officially applied to join NATO, but Turkey's president may oppose their acceptance into the military alliance. All rights reserved. Google Pay. Yet several of its members notably Turkey and Hungary have moved steadily away from liberal democracy toward ethnonational populist authoritarianism. Erdogan is demanding that Sweden extradite a list of people that Turkey has charged with terrorism. In-depth news coverage of the Greater Boston Area. Sweden and Finlands historic bids to become NATO members have hit a roadblock after top Turkish officials took a tough stance against a Nordic expansion of the transatlantic alliance. Why a cancer scare around aspartame is mostly unfounded. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Finland has the capacity to mobilise 285,000 personnel and 650 tanks. You can also contribute via. The Turkish presidents office said that Turkey had got what it wanted from the deal, and that it meant full cooperation with Turkey in the fight against the PKK and its affiliates, including the YPG. "Taking the next step toward a full. Swedish PM announces the decision to join the military alliance in the wake of Russias invasion of Ukraine. And as a member of NATO, Turkeys approval is needed for Finland and Sweden to join. Not according to Turkey's president. Finland was admitted in April, but Swedens accession has been blocked by Turkey, one of NATOs 31 members, ostensibly because the Nordic country harbours Kurdish separatists. membership a day before the opening of NATOs two-day summit appeared to have erected a new obstacle to the admission of Sweden, a major manufacturer of artillery, airplanes and other arms with crucial geographic value allowing control the airspace over the Baltic Sea. In 2021, Sweden's government announced an increase in funding for Kurdish groups in Syria to $376 million by 2023, saying it remained an "active partner" to Syria's Kurds and that its funds were aimed at "strengthening resilience, human security and freedom from violence" and improving "human rights, gender equality and democratic development.". This is good for all of us, Mr. Stoltenberg said. But the impasse prevails, and now Erdoan has complicated things further with his EU talk. Reader support helps keep our explainers free for all. Ankara will negotiate as other members would do, in line with its national interests. It wasnt supposed to be this way. "My suspicion is that Turkey, eventually, especially if it can extract a few concessions here and there from the Western powers and its NATO allies, will not ultimately seek to block Finland and Sweden from joining the organization," the Arab Gulf States Institute's Ibish said. "There's going to have to be some concessions for sure," Calderon said. Another ripple effect of Russia's invasion of Ukraine is two Scandinavian countries looking to abandon their long-standing neutrality. Turkeys Parliament is in session until July 27, and the body needed just two weeks to approve Finlands bid after Mr. Erdogan agreed to support it in March. NATO and the EU do have a lot of members in common (Sweden would like to be one of those! And ahead of the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance (NATO)s big summit this week, the Turkish leader has so far refused to drop his objections to Sweden joining NATO, potentially sidelining Stockholms membership indefinitely and spoiling NATOs sought-after moment of unity and cohesion in Vilnius. When Erdogan talks of "terrorists" in this context, he means the Kurdish Workers' Party, or the PKK a Kurdish Marxist separatist movement that has been fighting Turkish forces on-and-off since the 1980s. But it didnt last. And the worst time for any wannabe NATO member is when it has declared its intention to join but isnt yet a member. Both have relatively strong militaries. Please enter a valid email and try again. The standoff highlights an underlying problem the alliance is facing. We often only know a few months out what our advertising revenue will be, which makes it hard to plan ahead. 1. Finland and Sweden, on the other hand, fulfill the parameters of NATO membership more clearly than several of the alliances current members. Vox is here to help everyone understand the complex issues shaping the world not just the people who can afford to pay for a subscription. Ankara says that the SDC is dominated by PKK terrorists. Peter Kenyon, NPR News, Istanbul. Sweden and Finland applied to join the alliance, and while Finland's bid went through, Sweden's has been . We cannot rule out Sweden being exposed to, for example, disinformation and attempts to intimidate and divide us. He previously reported from London, Paris, Jerusalem, Berlin, Prague, Moscow and Bangkok. Erdogan is alone among NATO leaders in publicly stating that he is against the two countries joining the alliance. The US has previously blocked Turkey from acquiring F-35 fighter jets after Ankara purchased the. Sweden has frozen arms sales to Turkey since 2019 over Ankaras military operation in neighbouring Syria. California: Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Turkey's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, told reporters in Ankara Monday that his main objection involves the presence in Sweden of supporters of the PKK, the Kurdistan Workers' Party, a group designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. "Turkey's actions now benefit Putin and that should be problematic for the alliance as a whole," Levin said. There is an international push to resolve Turkey's objections. Which meant few Turkish observers thought hed rush to ratify Swedens NATO membership after the election, at least not without getting something in return. But the breakthrough on the eve of the summit could mean that Sweden might join the alliance in short order. At last years NATO summit in Madrid, Turkey, Finland, and Sweden all agreed to a memorandum of understanding that seemed to resolve these issues. Sweden and Finland have provided refuge to members of Kurdish militant separatist organization the PKK, which Turkey classifies as a terrorist organization and which has carried out attacks in Turkey. This sparked huge tensions with Turkey, which then launched attacks on the Kurds in Syria. Each week, we explore unique solutions to some of the world's biggest problems. All 30 NATO members must unanimously give the green light for the two historically neutral countries to join the alliance. Sweden has a long history of taking in Kurdish refugees and asylum seekers, particularly political refugees. Russia has announced that it will take countermeasures if we join NATO. Opposition, however, has emerged from an unexpected source. Will Finland and Sweden joining NATO make Europe safer? The Biden administration has been very clear that it will be happy to let Turkey buy upgraded equipment, and hasnt even been all that discreet about using it as leverage in this effort to get Sweden into NATO. Kurds celebrate to show their support for the independence referendum in Duhok, Iraq, September 26, 2017. The reasons why are complicated, emotional and steeped in decades ofoftenviolent history. Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. There are even members of their Parliament who support PKK terrorists. Over the weekend, the link between Sweden's Nato membership and the Turkish demand for the US Congress to permit the sale of F-16 jets to Turkey has become more explicit, as well as the . Gulsin Harman contributed reporting form Istanbul, and Christopher F. Schuetze from Berlin. Ankara has been under US sanctions over F-35 fighter jets and is not happy about it, Akgun said. Foreign policy is almost always intimately tied to domestic concerns. Ankara hailed the agreement as a triumph. I assume that the pressure on Turkey will be huge and really kind of the interests behind the scenes, which are always -- or not always, but often -- about equipment and money, will probably decide the outcome here.". But Sweden is also trying to walk a delicate line, as both its government and its citizens have insisted they will not compromise on rule of law to appease Turkey. Sign up for free newsletters and get more CNBC delivered to your inbox. It's demanding that Sweden extradite suspected Kurdish militants and alleged coup-plotters wanted by Turkey and stop supporters of Kurdish movements in Sweden. Map Andersson hailed the deal as a "very good agreement", rejecting claims that she had conceded too much to Erdoan in order to persuade him to drop his veto. Heres what its really doing. Its important that we have several ways we make money, just like its important for you to have a diversified retirement portfolio to weather the ups and downs of the stock market. On the other hand they have also to accept Turkish requests of extradition of 30 terrorists, [which are] very specific cases.". The reasons behind Turkey's opposition to Sweden and Finland joining NATO are complicated, emotional and steeped in decades ofoftenviolent history. In response, the Finnish foreign minister, Pekka Haavisto, said that while he was surprised at Turkeys stance, he did not want to bargain with Ankara. When Finland and Sweden announced their interest in joining NATO, the two Nordic states were expected to be swiftly accepted as members of the defense alliance. Since NATO ascension for a new member staterequires consensus approval from all existing members, one "no" vote from Turkey would thwart the bid from the Nordic countries. Which is why there is an urgency in resolving this Sweden standoff. Mr. Erdogan criticized Sweden for permitting the protest and said that the Swedish authorities needed to fight Islamophobia, even though that had not been among the issues Sweden had agreed with Turkey to address. Sweden's foreign ministry declined to comment on Erdogan's accusations when contacted by CNBC. For sure, that's already the case," Kotsyuba said. A senior US administration official told Reuters that Turkey had not linked its longstanding request for American F-16 fighter jets to secure the deal. "Turkey has already raised concerns and said that they will be vetoing the ascendance of the two states," Kotsyuba said. Members of Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) continue operations against the PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU, and the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, which Turkey regards as a terror group, within Turkey's Operation Peace Spring in Ras Al Ayn, Syria on October 17, 2019. Access unmatched financial data, news and content in a highly-customised workflow experience on desktop, web and mobile. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoan is pretty much the most popular guy in town these days if that town is Vilnius, Lithuania, and if youre popular because everyone has to be nice to you so youll let a really good friend join your military alliance. We want to hear from you. "Turkey is not happy about the fact that they suddenly become good guys just because they came in handy against ISIS.". Accuracy and availability may vary. Turkey controls swaths of territory in northern Syria and has been accused by some NGOs of forcing out local residents. For example, Turkey has tried for years to purchase American fighter jets; thus far, to no avail. Will diet soda, yogurt, and cereal disappear from stores? President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's block on NATO membership for Sweden and Finland is likely to be managed, but Washington and the rest of the alliance are . Russia's invasion not going to plan, Nato says. For NATO, Turkey Is a Disruptive Ally. Stockholm also politically and financially supports the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC), the political wing of the SDF, a Kurdish-led militia group created with support from the U.S. to fight ISIS in Syria. The plight of the countrys Kurds, part of a large but stateless ethnic group in the region, has long been a bone of contention between Turkey and parts of the international community. Americas Congress, which would need to approve the sale, has shunned Turkey since it bought a Russian S-400 air-defence system in 2019. bloc. I will let the Swedes come into NATO if you move forward my request to purchase F-16s through the U.S. Senate. I congratulated Erdogan. NATO has evolved over time. (Antony Blinken, Americas secretary of state, claims Turkeys request for jets is totally unrelated to Swedens NATO bid). Finnish and Swedish officials have declared in recent days their intention to join NATO, citing Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Complicating the matter, the Syrians of Rojava were despite their links to the PKK allies of the American forces. ", "If Finland and Sweden want to join a security alliance they have to give up to their support to a terror organization [PKK]and not give refuge to them. The College of Social Sciences and Humanities combines Northeastern Universitys signature focus on experiential learning with the rigorous study of society, culture, politics, and ethics. The story about how we got here, originally published on July 8, follows. Turkey says Sweden has supported members of the Kurdish Workers' Party, or the PKK. Here's where the alliance stands now 04:01 - Source: CNN AI-powered humanoid robots field questions from reporters 00:30 NATO has evolved over time. Underlying the tension between Turkey and Sweden is how each country defines "terrorist," says Hussein Ibish, a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. By submitting your email, you agree to our. For Hakki Akil, a former Turkish ambassador, the Turkish perspective is "very simple. The U.S. suspended Turkey from its F-35 fighter jet program over Turkey's decision to purchase a Russian missile defense system. The announcement of an agreement cements the biggest shift in European security in decades, as the Nordic countries abandon their decades-long neutrality to enter the military alliance. refused to drop his objections to Sweden joining NATO, Hungarys Viktor Orbn is also holding out, Hungary has signaled it wont be the final roadblock, entered into ascension negotiations in 2005, including passing a new anti-terrorism law that went into effect June 1, A recent Quran-burning outside a Stockholm mosque has added to tensions, which could leave Sweden stuck outside the alliance, Finland and Sweden dropped their long-held stance of nonalignment, all agreed to a memorandum of understanding, all that discreet about using it as leverage in this effort, such as Turkeys anti-democratic slide and Syria, it needs those F-16s for its security, and the security of the alliance, including strengthening its antiterrorism laws, have insisted they will not compromise on rule of law to appease Turkey, Countries will make commitments to defense spending, as Kyiv seeks more tangible assurances on future NATO membership, he could probably use that right about now. But just because Erdoan won another term didnt mean he would become a different president. The longer the feud drags on, the greater the reputational damage it does to an alliance that seeks to reinvest in its defense and also evaluate its purpose and mission, in Europe and beyond. Erdogan said Sweden needs to change the way it treats the PKK and its allies. Nobody should expect compromise nor understanding from me, said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey. KENYON: Whatever the outcome, he says being seen to stand up to the U.S. and Europe will help burnish Erdogan's reputation at home as he prepares for a reelection campaign in the coming year. Spread out between Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran, the Kurds have been heavily persecuted, marginalized and even been victims of genocide in the counties where they live see Saddam Hussein's chemical gas attacks that killed nearly 200,000 Kurds in Iraq in the late 1980s. The industry leader for online information for tax, accounting and finance professionals. Erdoan is essentially now moving the goalposts. The decision represents a setback for Moscow, with. One is that Turkey has a love and hate relationship with Europe, and Turkey's public loves a good fight with Europe. Erdogan on Monday accused the two Nordic countries of backing terrorism. The opposition raises questions about how quickly the application process could advance, as unanimity among all 30 NATO countries is required for new members to join. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said hes against the alliance because of their alleged support for Kurdish militants. After decades of neutrality, the two Nordic states that have to date remained out of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization have reacted to Russias invasion of Ukraine by declaring an intention to join the American-led alliance. Wednesday, NATO ambassadors were unable to hold a first vote on the accession bid because of an objection from Turkey. Now, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has the power to determine the future of the NATO alliance and its power and size in the face of Russia's war. Data is a real-time snapshot *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes. Sweden has tried to appease Turkey, including passing a new anti-terrorism law that went into effect June 1. While most of the Kurds living in Sweden which local groups say number as many as 100,000 have no affiliation with the PKK, the Swedish government has supported members of other Kurdish organizations, particularly the political wing of the PKK's Syrian branch, called the PYD. That something might be F-16 fighter jets. Leningrad (now. The two European Union countries had a long history of cooperating closely with the alliance, and both are strong, stable democracies typically the ideal formula for a smooth membership. Even if Erdoan drops his objections and Orbn follows suit their respective parliaments still have to ratify membership, so Stockholm will still have to wait a bit longer to formally ascend into the alliance. Finland has also banned the PKK as a terrorist organization, but joined Sweden and other EU countries in halting weapons sales to Turkey in 2019 over Ankara's military action against Kurdish groups in Syria. After Finland's announcement, Moscow said it could be cut off . Sweden has a strong air force and a submarine fleet tailored to Baltic Sea conditions. Why Turkey isn't on board with Finland, Sweden joining NATO - and why that matters Room for any more at NATO? "It is important to pay attention to the demands, even though it's obviously just kind of political wrangling, because this is how we show that democracies work," Cross said. WASHINGTON (AP) With Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan taking an increasingly tough line against the NATO membership bids of Finland and Sweden despite . But if Erdoan keeps raising unserious demands, the Wests tolerance may run thin, too. Turkey has agreed to allow Sweden to join NATO after closed-door negotiations between NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg and the leaders of the two countries ahead of a NATO summit in . Weapons deals will likely play an important role in whatever negotiations take place. As experts said, he would see the election as a way to reset relations with the West but on his terms. I stand ready to work with President Erdogan and Turkey on enhancing defense and deterrence in the Euro-Atlantic area, Mr. Biden said. Nordic nations to apply to join Western military alliance despite warnings from Russia. The Nordic pair also promised to crack down on financing and recruitment by the PKK in their countries. When it comes to Finland, Turkey's opposition to it joining NATO appears to be more by association the country has a far smaller Kurdish population than Sweden, but its foreign policy tends to be similar.

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