Will back Sweden’s Nato bid if EU opens way for Turkey’s accession: President Erdogan

In a major development, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday announced that his country would only pave the way for Sweden to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) military alliance if the European Union (EU) open the way for Ankara’s accession to the bloc.

Turkey’s bid for EU accession froze for years after membership talks were initiated in 2005 under Erdogan’s first term as prime minister.

Addressing a press conference in Istanbul before heading to Lithuania’s capital Vilnius to attend a Nato summit, Erdogan said: “Almost all of the Nato member countries are now members of the EU. I am calling out to these countries that have kept Türkiye waiting at the door of the EU for more than 50 years, but I will also call out to Vilnius.

“First, let’s pave the way for Türkiye in the EU, and then we will pave the way for Sweden just as we did for Finland.”

Erdogan said he will express these views and make the demands while meeting with leaders on the sidelines of the summit, according to state news agency Anadolu.

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Later today, the Turkish president said he will have a trilateral meeting with Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, adding: “As for Sweden, the process continues. Our relevant institutions maintain their contacts with their Swedish counterparts in a transparent and well-intentioned manner.”

However, the president also reiterated that Sweden’s Nato membership is contingent on the fulfilment of issues outlined in a tripartite agreement signed last year in Madrid during a Nato summit.

“As Türkiye, we are tired of repeating that we need to fight terrorist organizations and their extensions indiscriminately,” he added.

Stockholm’s accession to Nato is also at the discretion of the Turkish parliament, he stressed.

During the two-day Nato summit in Vilnius, the leaders will address the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, its challenges to Nato, and steps to strengthen the military alliance’s defence and deterrence. Sweden’s bid to join NATO bid will be also on the agenda.

Finland and Sweden applied for Nato membership soon after Russia launched the war on Ukraine in February 2022.

Although Tukey approved Finland’s membership to NATO, it is waiting for Sweden to fulfil its commitments under the deal.

To join Nato, Sweden needs the approval of all of its current members, including Turkey, which has been in the alliance for over 70 years and boasts its second-largest army.