In a shocking statement, Erdogan re-opened a question many thought closed forever.
In an unexpected diplomatic move by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, he linked Sweden’s entrance into NATO to Turkey’s ascension to EU membership. Erdogan was recently elected for a fourth consecutive term.
"First, come and open the way for Turkey in the European Union, and then we will open the way for Sweden," Erdogan said before flying to Vilnius for the NATO summit. "Just as we did for Finland," he concluded.
Finland and Sweden applied for NATO membership following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Afraid for their own safety, the two Scandinavian countries abandoned decades of neutral policies.
But their entrance into the US-led alliance was delayed for months as Erdogan wanted guarantees. He demanded Sweden and Finland include the PKK on the terrorist list. The PKK (Kurdish Workers Party) is a Turkish opposition force fighting for more autonomy in the Kurdistan region (south-eastern Turkey).
Fighting between the Kurds (the world’s largest displaced ethnic group) and Ankara’s central government has lasted for decades and left thousands dead.
Many Kurdish representatives were forced to flee to the European Union to save their lives. Sweden and Finland harbor many such cases.
After months of NATO pressure, Turkey eventually conceded and approved Finnish requests to join NATO.
Turkey and the European Union
During Erdogan’s first Prime Minister term, Turkey became an official EU candidate in 2005. Talks between the two, however, slowed as Erdogan’s rule became more authoritarian, with both human rights and economic concerns.
In 2019, the EU Parliament voted to suspend negotiations for Turkey’s accession. Erdogan too seemingly lost interest in the matter, especially after the 2016 coup attempt.
But Monday’s statement showed Turkey’s apparent intention of pursuing EU membership. What’s uncertain is the EU’s interest in letting Turkey in.
Erdogan often applied policies clearly aimed at the European Union. He often used Syrian refugees as "hostages" to get something from Brussels. Relationships between Turkey and the EU remain sour.
Speaking about Erdogan’s statement, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz commented: "Sweden meets all the requirements for NATO membership. The other question is one that is not connected to it. And that is why I do not think it should be seen as a connected issue."
NATO General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg declared himself favorable to Turkish EU membership, though it was not comparable to Swedish entrance into NATO.
It is yet unclear if Erdogan is truly interested in EU membership or if he’s using it as a negotiation tactic. The matter will be further discussed in the coming days at the Vilnius summit.
