Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has declared that his country will support Sweden’s bid to join NATO if the European Union initiates membership talks with Turkey. Erdogan intends to present this demand at the upcoming NATO summit in Lithuania. He has also informed US President Joe Biden about his intentions.
Erdogan’s remarks come ahead of a meeting in Vilnius, Lithuania, with Sweden’s Prime Minister and NATO Secretary General. As a NATO member, Turkey holds veto power over new countries seeking to join the alliance.
Turkey has previously expressed concerns about Stockholm’s alleged willingness to host Kurdish militants, which has caused frustrations in their bilateral relationship. Erdogan recently acknowledged that Sweden has taken positive steps by amending anti-terror laws but indicated that he still has some grievances.
While Hungary has also been hesitant in supporting Sweden’s NATO bid, it has stated that it will not further delay the process if Turkey changes its position.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has expressed optimism, stating that a “positive decision” regarding Sweden’s membership could still be reached during the two-day conference. He emphasized that Sweden joining NATO would strengthen the alliance’s ability to defend and protect the Baltic region.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has dismissed Erdogan’s suggestion of a reciprocal agreement, affirming that Sweden meets all the requirements for NATO membership. He clarified that the issue is separate from Turkey’s demands.
The European Commission, the EU’s executive body, emphasized that membership to the bloc must follow a structured process and adhere to the established steps for candidate countries. Turkey’s bid to join the EU has been stalled since 2016, but relations have improved in recent years, with Turkey playing a crucial role in addressing migration issues.
Sweden initiated its bid to join NATO more than a year ago, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Finland became the 31st member of the alliance in April after Turkey withdrew objections similar to those it currently holds against Sweden’s application.
