Sweden and Finland were both warned on Monday by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that they must fulfill Ankara’s conditions before becoming members.
The two Nordic countries promised in last month’s agreement to take specific steps to overcome Turkey’s objections so if they fall short of it, Ankara may still freeze their NATO membership, Erdogan stand.
He particularly mentioned Sweden as the one lacking a good image on this issue.
In line with the trilateral memorandum signed in Madrid allowing the alliance to formally invite Finland and Sweden, the two Nordic countries must end their embargo on arms sales to Ankara and crack down on individuals and organizations designated as terrorists by Turkey, including the activists of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the followers of the exiled cleric Fetullah Gulen who sought asylum in Sweden and Finland.
NATO membership bids of Helsinki and Stockholm were blocked by Ankara until late June, threatening to derail NATO’s plans to formally invite them at the June 28-30 summit in Madrid, but the last-minute deal enabled the process to move forward.
Erdogan’s warning comes in light of the adoption of the US National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) – which requires additional certifications before Turkey could buy more F-16 fighter jets – by the US House of Representatives.
Noting he could get congressional approval for it, US President Joe Biden insisted last month that the F-16 sale is not a “quid pro quo” for Ankara green lightning NATO’s Nordic expansion.
However, State Department spokesman Ned Price said on Monday that the US will ensure the accession process and ratification process go as swift and efficient as it can possibly be by working with Finland, Sweden, and Turkey.
After remaining neutral during the Cold War, both Finland and Sweden applied to join NATO in May due to concerns for their security amid the Russian military operation in Ukraine.
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