Despite all previous requests and objections, Turkey suddenly turned around and gave the green light for Sweden to join NATO. It’s not actually clear why, says Turkey correspondent Joost Lagendijk. “What Erdogan and Turkey have gained from this is quite small compared to the high demands that have been made previously.”
Because what remains in Ankara is a set of Swedish commitments that Sweden will support Turkey’s aspirations in the EU, that Sweden will step up its fight against terrorism, that there will be bilateral talks between Turkey and Sweden and that NATO will appoint a special coordinator. terrorism will be instituted.
Poor yield
EU President Charles Michel has also promised that ties between Europe and Turkey will be “revived”, but Lagendijk calls this old wine in new bottles. ‘The European Council agreed last week that the EU will soon publish some sort of report on the new strategic relationship with Turkey. Michel just repeated it yesterday.’
Discussions about EU membership have been shelved by the EU, according to Lagendijk, the most that the Turks can get out of it is economic relations through the customs union and possibly visa freedom. “But that was before the summit, it has nothing to do with Sweden.”
“What Erdogan and Turkey have gained from this is quite small compared to the high demands that have been made previously”
F-16 fighter plane
In short: Erdogan’s turn is met with surprise all over the world, the Turkish press remains remarkably silent about why this is a good move from a Turkish point of view, says Lagendijk. According to the correspondent, the Turkish press deliberately does not make the connection between Erdogan’s twist and the fact that Ankara has long wanted to buy American F-16 fighters. This is a sensitive issue: The Biden administration is for it, but Congress is against it. At least until recently: Soon after Turkish approval of Swedish membership, Congress announced it would discuss F-16s with the Biden administration.
According to Lagendijk, what has played a role in the background is the attitude of the Greek government. Greece has always strongly opposed supplying warplanes to Turkey’s hereditary enemy, but it could have backed down due to NATO’s combat prowess. The Turkish parliament has yet to ratify some things, but Lagendijk hardly expects any problems.
Source: BNR
Sharon Rock is an author and journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. She has a passion for learning about different cultures and understanding the complexities of the world. With a talent for explaining complex global issues in an accessible and engaging way, Sharon has become a respected voice in the field of world news journalism.
