- Erdogan breaks the deadlock, advancing Sweden's bid for NATO membership.
- Concerns over terrorism and political deals held up Sweden's bid.
- This move adds another chapter to the story of how the Ukraine conflict is reshaping global alliances.
The NATO Chess Game: Sweden Inches Closer to Membership
In an unexpected move in the high-stakes world of international politics, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has agreed to push Sweden's application for NATO membership through to parliament. This development may finally resolve a long-drawn, intense saga that has put NATO under strain, particularly in the context of the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
Sweden, together with Finland, shifted away from their time-honored stance of military non-alignment last year, seeking NATO membership in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Finland's bid got a thumbs-up in April, but Sweden's path has been trickier, with Turkey and Hungary playing gatekeepers.
The Tug-of-War Over Sweden's Bid
The NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, has been the stage for this unfolding drama. It's there that the news broke: Erdogan would bring Sweden's accession protocol to the grand national assembly at the earliest and ensure its ratification. This "historic" step, as NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg put it, came to light after prolonged talks between him, Erdogan, and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.
But, why has there been a delay? Erdogan's resistance stemmed from a previous deal during a NATO summit in Madrid that he felt Sweden was not honoring, and he was unwilling to back down. Turkey also expressed frustration over Sweden's response to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), considered a terrorist organization by Turkey, the EU, and the U.S.
The Diplomatic Dance
In a statement, both Sweden and Turkey seemed to find common ground. Sweden reassured that it wouldn't back Kurdish groups and expressed its commitment to bolstering Turkey's EU accession process. In turn, Erdogan stated the EU should first clear the path for Turkey's membership before the Turkish parliament green-lights Sweden's NATO application.
The schedule for the ratification remains foggy; for context, Finland's membership took two weeks to be ratified by Turkey's parliament.
The Final Hurdle Cleared?
With Hungary no longer objecting to Sweden's NATO membership, the ball is now squarely in Turkey's court. The U.S and its allies have been pressuring Ankara for some time now. Turkey's intent to buy a whopping $20 billion of Lockheed Martin Corp F-16 fighters and modernization kits has raised eyebrows, with some NATO partners suspecting Turkey is using Sweden's bid to bargain with Washington.
U.S. President Joe Biden, while welcoming Erdogan's announcement, is gearing up for face-to-face talks with him during the summit. Stay tuned, as this move could add a whole new layer to the complex global chessboard that is NATO politics.