Türkiye keeps Sweden waiting on NATO membership as key summit nears

STOCKHOLM: Sweden’s path to NATO membership remains blocked by Türkiye and Hungary ahead of a July summit in Vilnius where it hopes to join Nordic neighbour Finland as a full member of the alliance.

Finland, which applied together with Sweden, joined NATO in April, but Türkiye continues to block Swedish membership citing security concerns. Ankara has said Sweden must crack down on anti-Türkiye protests before getting a green light to join NATO.

Sweden has set its sights on joining at the alliance’s Jul 11 to 12 summit and while it has strong support from other members including the United States and more talks with Türkiye are expected, there have been few clear signs of a breakthrough.

BACKGROUND

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February last year convinced Sweden and Finland to ditch long-held policies of military non-alignment.

Both countries see NATO, with its collective defence clause, as the best way to ensure their security.

The majority of NATO members quickly ratified the applications, arguing that Finland – which shares a 1,300km border with Russia – and Sweden would strengthen the alliance in the Baltic.

Türkiye gave approval for Finnish membership after initial objections. But Ankara says Sweden does not take its security concerns seriously and has not lived up to a bargain, struck in Madrid last year, that laid out a number of issues Stockholm needed to address.

Türkiye has not budged despite Sweden implementing new anti-terror legislation in June that it believes should pave the way for accession.

Hungary has followed Türkiye lead in delaying ratification, which must be unanimous.

WHY DOES TURKIYE OBJECT?

Stockholm has criticised Türkiye for human rights abuses and over democratic standards, irking politicians in Ankara.

Türkiye says Sweden harbours members of what it considers terrorist groups – a charge Sweden denies – and has demanded their extradition as a step toward ratifying Swedish membership.

Swedish courts have blocked some expulsions to Türkiye.

Demonstrations held in Sweden have also raised Turkish ire.

In recent months, demonstrators in Stockholm have hung an effigy of Erdogan from a lamp-post. At other events, demonstrators waved flags showing support for the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which is deemed a terrorist group by Türkiye and its Western allies, including Sweden.

Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom has said the freedom to demonstrate is enshrined in the constitution while adding that “something that is legal is not always proper”.

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