Why Turkey Is Blocking Sweden's Entry Into NATO Again

We won't be supporting NATO, so Sweden shouldn't expect it. "On Monday, January 23, Turkish President recep tayyip erdogan poured cold water on Sweden's hopes of joining NATO in a single sentence.

The two Scandinavian nations have been able to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization thanks to negotiations between Turks, Finns, and Swedes that have been ongoing for months. Since May, Turkey has prohibited their entry, claiming that they do so because they are thought to be harboring terrorists, particularly members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), who are Kurdish activists and sympathizers.

A memorandum of understanding was signed in June, indicating that the three nations had reached an understanding. However, recent anti-islamic demonstrations in Sweden have once again put a stop to negotiations. relationship decline On January 12, things between Stockholm and Ankara took a turn for the worse.

Activists in support of the Kurds shared a video montage on Twitter that day. Following a model of recep tayyip erdogan hanging from a rope in front of Stockholm City Hall, the image depicts the 1945 execution of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini.

It states, "History has proven that this is how dictators end up.". In the name of freedom of expression, one of the activists behind this action tells AFP that it is a "provocation.".

because there are concerns that Sweden is unwilling to make enough concessions, particularly in relation to Turkey, as a result of the sluggish negotiations with Ankara on Sweden's membership in NATO. On January 11, 2023, a mannequin was placed near the suspended effigy of Turkish President recep tayyip erdogan in Stockholm (Sweden) to serve as a reminder of the fate that awaits autocrats.

(HANDOUT/OFFICIAL TWITTER ACCOUNT OF SWEDEN/AFP) If Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson calls an action "extremely serious," Ankara will not hesitate to respond. The turkish foreign ministry first requests the presence of the Swedish ambassador.

Then, a representative of recep tayyip erdogan issues a warning regarding the ongoing negotiations: "We want to move forward and progress, but if this kind of incident persists, it will slow down the process. The extreme Swedish right's leader, Jimmie Akesson, did not help the situation by saying these things, which is already tense.

Ukf Kristersson, the leader of the first parliamentary majority formation and the Prime Minister's first support group, then urges listeners in an interview to avoid caving in to Turkey's demands regarding NATO. We must not stray too far.

Because we must deal with a dictator and an undemocratic system above all else, he said. "I am the leader of the secular SD party, which is opposed to Islam, and I have strong feelings about an Islamist leader like Erdogan.

Yes, the people chose him for office. However, Putin is also, he continues to attack.

Under heavy police guard and shielded by metal barriers, the Turkish embassy in Stockholm rekindles tensions when the ambassador burns a copy of the Koran as he had promised. A decision that infuriated Ankara was one that was also approved by the police, who claimed that there was no reason to forbid it.

On January 21, 2023, a radical right-wing activist named Rasmus Paudan burns a Koran in front of the Turkish embassy in Stockholm, Sweden. By staging this protest, Turkey is once more compelled to call the Swedish ambassador to Ankara. (JONAS GRATZER / GETTY IMAGES EUROPE).

Additionally, it was decided to postpone the visit of the Swedish Minister of Defense, whose main goal was to try and allay Ankara's concerns about Sweden's NATO membership. "Sweden must not anticipate our support for NATO.

We will not provide you with any assistance if you do not respect Muslims' or the Republic of Turkey's religious convictions. On Turkish television, recep tayyip erdogan said, "The provocations against Muslims are abhorrent.

Tobias Billström, the Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs, responds on Twitter: "Sweden has a very broad freedom of expression, but that does not imply that the Swedish government, or myself, support the opinions expressed. Slipping negotiations These recent events are making it difficult to continue the talks that resulted in the memorandum of understanding signed in June.

The extradition of PKK members in particular who Turkey labels "terrorists," including Kurdish activists and sympathizers, has been a point of contention between the two nations for months. Any potential development for Ankara depends on Sweden's willingness to extradite suspects it holds accountable for terrorism or involvement in the 2016 coup attempt against President Erdogan.

Currently, the latter is requesting the extradition of 130 individuals. Turkey wanted "things that we cannot and do not want to give it," according to Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson's assessment in early January.

The government maintains that the independent Swedish judiciary has the final say in matters involving extradition. Ankara had demanded "other important steps" to override Stockholm's objections at the end of December, noting the "positive measures" that Stockholm had made.

In spite of recent incidents, Stockholm continues to project confidence: "Sweden will respect the existing agreement between Sweden, Finland, and Turkey," declared Tobias Billström on Monday night. However, Finland on Tuesday gave the possibility of joining NATO without Sweden some serious thought, demonstrating how complicated the situation is becoming.

A joint membership of the two Nordic nations remains "the first option," but "we obviously have to assess the situation, if something has happened that means that in the long term Sweden can no longer move forward," estimated Pekka Haavisto, the head of Finland's diplomatic mission. Stockholm continues to exude confidence, as demonstrated by Tobias Billström's Monday night statement that "Sweden will respect the existing agreement between Sweden, Finland, and Turkey.".

However, Finland on Tuesday seriously considered the possibility of joining NATO without Sweden, showing that the situation is becoming more complicated. A joint membership of the two Nordic nations remains "the first option," but "we obviously have to assess the situation, if something has happened that means that in the long term Sweden can no longer move forward," estimated Pekka Haavisto, the head of Finland's diplomatic mission.

Stockholm continues to exude confidence, as demonstrated by Tobias Billström's Monday night statement that "Sweden will respect the existing agreement between Sweden, Finland, and Turkey.". Finland, however, for the first time on Tuesday, considered the possibility of joining NATO without Sweden, serving as evidence that the situation is becoming more complicated.

A joint membership of the two Nordic countries remains "the first option" but "we obviously have to assess the situation, if something has happened which means that in the long term Sweden can no longer move forward", estimated the head of the Finnish diplomacy Pekka Haavisto. Tuesday marked the first time that Finland gave the idea of joining NATO without Sweden any thought.

A joint membership of the two Nordic nations remains "the first option," but "we obviously have to assess the situation, if something has happened that means that in the long term Sweden can no longer move forward," estimated Pekka Haavisto, the head of Finland's diplomatic mission. Tuesday marked the first time that Finland gave the idea of joining NATO without Sweden any thought.

A joint membership of the two Nordic countries remains "the first option" but "we obviously have to assess the situation, if something has happened which means that in the long term Sweden can no longer move forward", estimated the head of the Finnish diplomacy Pekka Haavisto.

A joint membership of the two Nordic countries remains "the first option" but "we obviously have to assess the situation, if something has happened which means that in the long term Sweden can no longer move forward", estimated the head of the Finnish diplomacy Pekka Haavisto.