Title: Turkish President Erdogan Agrees to Send Sweden’s NATO Accession Protocol to Parliament, Amid EU Membership Demands
Subtitle: Alliance Secretary-General announces breakthrough during NATO Summit in Lithuania
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has agreed to submit Sweden’s NATO accession protocol to the Turkish Parliament following months of resistance. The announcement was made by Alliance Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Monday, following discussions with President Erdogan and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson on the eve of the NATO summit in Lithuania.
Earlier on Monday, President Erdogan had stated that Turkey could approve Sweden’s entry into NATO if European nations facilitated Turkey’s candidacy for European Union (EU) membership. Erdogan made these remarks in Ankara before departing for the military alliance summit.
Expressing Turkey’s frustration, Erdogan emphasized that Turkey has been waiting at the EU’s door for 50 years, and most NATO member countries are already EU members. He called on the countries that have kept Turkey waiting to “open the way” for its EU membership, stating that when they do, Turkey would pave the way for Sweden, as it did for Finland.
Turkey has been a candidate for EU membership, but the process has faced significant challenges due to a democratic setback in Ankara and disputes with Cyprus, an EU member state.
Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström expressed optimism that Turkey would drop its objections to Sweden’s NATO membership, stating that it was just a matter of time. Ankara had previously blocked Sweden’s accession to NATO, citing concerns about its efforts to combat Kurdish militants and other groups perceived as threats to national security. Anti-Turkey and anti-Islam protests in Stockholm had cast doubt on reaching a deal before the alliance summit.
Billström confirmed that Sweden had fulfilled its part of a three-way agreement signed at the NATO summit in Madrid last year, between Sweden, Finland, and Turkey. He emphasized that it was not a question of “if,” but “when” Sweden would be accepted. Billström also expressed hope that Hungary, another country yet to ratify Sweden’s membership, would do so before Turkey.
Both Sweden and Finland had applied to join NATO the previous year after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Finland successfully became a member in April this year.
In other news, a raid on the residence of the Russian head of the Wagner group has uncovered luxurious and extravagant belongings. Further details will be published shortly.