Sweden wants to join NATO. But Turkey has prevented this so far. But now it looks as if Ankara could soon clear the way.
After months of blockade, according to insiders, Turkey is taking the next step towards approving Sweden’s accession to NATO. The general assembly of the Turkish parliament will debate the proposal on Tuesday, three people familiar with the project told Reuters on Monday. Parliament is expected to agree and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to sign the law later.
Sweden, like Finland, applied to join NATO in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, thereby abandoning its long-standing neutrality. Finland’s accession had already been sealed in April 2023, but Erdogan stood in the way when it came to Sweden. He justified this, among other things, with the accusation that Sweden was taking in extremists from the banned Kurdish Workers’ Party (PKK). In response, Stockholm introduced a new law criminalizing membership in a terrorist organization. Sweden, like Finland, also took steps to relax arms exports to Turkey.
It is unclear whether Türkiye will end the blockade
Erdogan also made ratification dependent on the US agreeing to the sale of US F-16 fighter jets to Turkey. The White House supports the sale. However, Turkey is encountering resistance in the US Congress. The reason for this is a delay in NATO expansion and the human rights situation in Turkey.
It is not certain whether approval is imminent. Six months ago it already looked like Turkey was giving up its resistance.
Source: Stern
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