After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Finland and Sweden decided to do the previously unthinkable: they wanted to join the North Atlantic defense alliance NATO. But one thing got in the way: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blocked the Northern Europeans’ request. They do too little against Kurdish “terrorists”.
In the spring he gave in to the Finns: they were allowed to join NATO as the 31st member. In the case of Sweden, however, Erdogan remained tough. Last week, shortly before the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, things looked bad for the Scandinavians. The burning of a Koran in Stockholm had enraged the Turkish head of state.
On Monday, he presented another demand: the revival of the “frozen” EU accession negotiations. Now the cart finally seemed to be stuck in the mud, but in the evening the surprise followed: after a meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Erdogan gave up his opposition.
Accession to the EU remains an illusion
A day before the start of the summit, Allianz was able to achieve an unexpected success. “He went to war because he wanted less NATO. He will get more NATO,” Stoltenberg told Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, the question of why Erdogan suddenly relented left many observers confused.
On reflection, the Turkish president has not received much. Although Sweden has promised more cooperation in the fight against terrorism, Turkey’s accession to the European Union in the near future remains an illusion. Erdogan knows that too. At best, he can count on concessions in individual areas.
I’m hoping for the F-16
Think of an update of the customs union with the EU, simplifications in the issuance of visas or an extension of the lucrative refugee deal for Turkey. Erdogan himself is said to have raised these points during the brief meeting with EU Council President Charles Michel on Monday. However, he received no concrete promises.
The same applies to the purchase of 40 F-16 fighter jets. US President Joe Biden assured his Turkish counterpart that he would support Congress in Washington. However, Erdogan will not get the F-35, currently the most modern fighter jet. He built this option himself with the purchase of the Russian S-400 air defense system.
Tendency to Moscow
For Recep Tayyip Erdogan, however, it’s about the fundamentals. For some time, and even after the war began, he maneuvered between Russia and the West. A positive effect was the grain agreement with Ukraine, which was negotiated under his auspices. However, the Turkish head of state showed an inclination towards Moscow.
The deepening of economic relations between Turkey and Russia is “causing great concern”, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell wrote in a letter to the EU parliament last December. Erdogan himself has met with Vladimir Putin several times since the start of the war and has ostentatiously distanced himself from his NATO partner in Washington.
Before NATO accession of Ukraine
His actual turnaround is not the approval of Sweden’s accession to NATO, but the renewed orientation towards the West. He received Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Istanbul last Friday and angered Moscow by saying Ukraine “undoubtedly deserves NATO membership”.
Observers point to several reasons for this: Apparently, Erdogan no longer considers his “friend” Putin a reliable partner, especially since the mysterious coup attempt by Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin. While he needs a better relationship with the West, especially because of the long-running economic crisis in Turkey.
It’s about the economy
“After his re-election, Erdogan wants to come out of isolation, which he could achieve through the game with Sweden,” writes the left-wing Berliner “taz”. An unnamed EU official told the Financial Times: “Erdogan is all about the economy.” This also applies in the case of Sweden’s NATO membership.
“We are entering a new era in Turkish-Western relations,” Murat Yesiltas, director of a think tank close to Erdogan, told the London business daily. After his re-election in May, the president wants to reassess his foreign policy. In fact, the president’s economic team is actively seeking investment in the US and Europe.
A pure alliance of convenience
The economy will be “the main issue” in relations with the West, Yesiltas said. But that also means it’s a pure alliance of convenience and not a marriage of love. However, unlike Vladimir Putin, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is still firmly in power after his election victory, is a clever tactician.
He will continue to strive for good relations with Russia. His goal remains to establish Turkey as a major player on the regional and global stage, writes the Financial Times. Relations with the West, however, are his priority at the moment, and there is no harm in paving the way for Sweden’s accession to NATO.
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
