Title: NATO Summit in Vilnius Faces Uncertainty Amidst Turkey’s Condition for Sweden’s Membership and Biden’s Remarks on Ukraine
When NATO leaders convene in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Tuesday for a crucial summit, they will face two pressing issues that have cast a shadow over the event. Firstly, NATO’s plan to welcome Sweden as its 32nd member has been questioned by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who tied Sweden’s entry to Turkey’s aspirations to join the European Union. Secondly, US President Joe Biden’s recent remarks suggesting that Ukraine should postpone joining the alliance until the ongoing war is resolved have raised concerns among NATO officials.
Initially, it was expected that Sweden would join NATO this week, following a joint request with Finland after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Finland’s application had been approved earlier this year. However, Erdogan’s comments have diverted attention from this anticipated development. The Turkish President stated that Sweden’s admission to NATO should be contingent upon Turkey’s entry into the European Union. Erdogan emphasized that Turkey has been waiting for EU membership for over 50 years and highlighted that most NATO members are also EU member countries.
Turkey’s EU membership has been on hold since a failed coup attempt in 2016, which led to concerns about democratic and human rights issues. Despite this, Stoltenberg, NATO’s Secretary General, announced that Turkey had agreed to support Sweden’s bid to join the alliance. Stoltenberg tweeted that Erdogan had agreed to submit Sweden’s accession protocol to the Turkish Grand National Assembly and ensure its ratification. Nonetheless, Turkey has previously resisted Sweden’s NATO membership due to claims of Swedish officials’ involvement in Islamophobic demonstrations and their alleged tolerance of Kurdish terror groups operating within Swedish borders.
President Erdogan’s relationship with Western allies, particularly with regards to his cooperation with Russia and his role as a negotiator between the West and Russia over Ukraine, has strained Turkey’s ties with the rest of NATO. Turkey has faced sanctions and restrictions on military equipment purchases from NATO allies, including the United States. Sweden’s potential NATO membership provides Erdogan with a unique advantage, and it is unsurprising that he is leveraging this opportunity to gain influence among Western allies.
Another major issue affecting NATO’s summit is Biden’s recent comments suggesting that Ukraine should delay joining the alliance until the war is resolved. While multiple NATO officials have emphasized that Ukraine’s accession is not currently under serious consideration, Biden’s remarks have shifted the focus away from the cooperation and support NATO provides to Ukraine. This diversion risks overshadowing the progress made and potentially presents the summit as a failure.
Western officials are mindful that distractions and divisions within the alliance will be welcomed by Russia, especially at this critical juncture. Despite the challenges arising from Erdogan’s condition for Sweden’s membership and Biden’s remarks on Ukraine, NATO has remained resilient throughout the war and exceeded expectations in its support for Ukraine.
The developments surrounding Sweden’s membership and the discourse on Ukraine could generate headlines that inaccurately portray the summit as unsuccessful. The Kremlin, observing from a distance, would undoubtedly benefit from any perceived disunity within the Western alliance.
With reporting from CNN’s Sugam Pokharel, the NATO summit in Vilnius is poised to address these issues and reaffirm its commitment to collective defense and security.