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ISTANBUL — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday linked Sweden’s NATO bid to Turkey’s lengthy and fruitless effort to affix the European Union, throwing a possible new impediment in the way in which of Western efforts to enlarge the transatlantic alliance and mission unity throughout Russia’s battle on Ukraine.
Erdogan had beforehand acknowledged his opposition to Sweden’s membership for an extended record of causes, together with Stockholm’s refusal to extradite people wished by Turkey, a NATO member, and its allowing of anti-Erdogan protests.
However the linkage to European Union membership, a difficulty Erdogan first raised in a telephone name with President Biden on Sunday, seemed to be a brand new situation — elevating questions on whether or not the Turkish chief was searching for to behave as a spoiler on the NATO Summit in Lithuania on Monday, or was merely making an attempt to wring as many concessions as potential from Western allies earlier than agreeing to Sweden’s bid.
“We would like our guarantees to be stored,” Erdogan mentioned, chatting with reporters in Istanbul earlier than departing for the summit. “First, come and pave the way in which for Turkey within the European Union, then let’s pave the way in which for Sweden, simply as we paved the way in which for Finland,” he mentioned.
Turkey, he added, “has been ready on the door of the E.U. for 50 years.”
Erdogan’s feedback, no matter their intent, ensured that Turkey remained on the middle of the dialog as Western allies met to debate different crucial points associated to Russia’s invasion, together with army help for Ukraine in addition to its personal request for NATO membership — bolstering Erdogan’s efforts to advertise his authorities as an impartial, if unpredictable, energy dealer with world attain.
“Erdogan likes to throw individuals off stability,” mentioned Asli Aydintasbas, a visiting fellow on the Brookings Establishment in Washington.
The European Union rapidly dismissed the concept of tying Sweden’s NATO bid to E.U. enlargement: “You can’t hyperlink the 2 processes,” Dana Spinant, a spokesperson for the European Fee, mentioned Monday.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz echoed the sentiment, saying there isn’t any cause to see them as a “related concern.”
A spokesperson for the Nationwide Safety Council mentioned the U.S. had “at all times supported” Turkey’s E.U. aspirations “and continues to take action,” talking on the situation of anonymity to debate diplomatic negotiations. Whereas Turkey’s “membership and course of” was between the E.U. and Turkey, they added, the U.S. focus was “on Sweden, which is able to be part of the NATO alliance.”
The bizarre demand from Erdogan comes after months of obstruction by the Turkish chief, who gained a carefully fought election in Might, extending his rule into a 3rd decade.
Within the quick aftermath of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine final February, Finland and Sweden deserted years of army nonalignment to hunt safety in NATO — solely to face pushback from Turkey. Becoming a member of NATO requires unanimous approval from member nations.
A yr in the past, on the NATO assembly in Madrid, Erdogan dropped his opposition to Finnish and Swedish membership on the summit, stealing the present and elevating hope for a fast accession course of.
However the deal soured rapidly, with Turkey persevering with to name out Sweden for its refusal at hand over Kurds accused of being militants, and Hungary, an ally of Ankara, additionally signaling opposition. In the end, Finland determined to maneuver forward with out Sweden, becoming a member of the alliance in April after Turkey permitted its membership.
Outliers Turkey, Hungary threaten NATO unity in standoff with Russia
Provocative remarks from Erdogan within the run-up to this yr’s summit have left officers and analysts questioning whether or not Sweden’s bid is doomed, or if Erdogan plans to chop a deal and is solely negotiating. Turkey’s primary focus, analysts mentioned, was the completion of a $20 billion deal for American F-16 fighter jets, an settlement that’s backed by the Biden administration however that faces opposition on Capitol Hill.
“It’d sound like he’s closing the door on Sweden. However in actuality, that is his negotiating fashion,” mentioned Aydintasbas. “He is aware of Turkey is not going to get into the EU. However he desires Europeans to additionally put one thing on the desk — and match U.S. efforts to unencumber F-16 gross sales to Turkey,” she mentioned.
His feedback on E.U. membership — conjuring a decades-long, irritating course of for Turkey, for which European governments shouldered among the blame — was additionally a dig on the West. “He’s making enjoyable of NATO’s excessive discuss of values and bringing it right down to easy give and take,” she mentioned.
Anna Wieslander, director for Northern Europe on the Atlantic Council, mentioned “it’s potential that Erdogan could possibly be staging this so he could possibly be the great man, saving the summit by giving a unilateral inexperienced gentle.”
In that case, it’s a technique that will have value Erdogan goodwill inside the alliance at a time when key members, together with the USA, say unity is pivotal.
The truth that solely 29 of 31 members have ratified Swedish membership has made “NATO look weaker,” Wieslander mentioned “and that advantages Russia.”
Rauhala reported from Vilnius. Beatriz Ríos in Brussels, Kate Brady in Berlin and Toluse Olorunnipa in London contributed to this report.
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