ANKARA: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has urged NATO’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg that Sweden had to take action against protests organized by supporters of the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Stockholm if it wanted approval of its NATO membership.
Erdogan conveyed to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg that Turkey would consider approving Sweden’s NATO membership only if these demonstrations were halted. Erdogan emphasized that such protests undermine the prospects of Sweden’s accession and negatively impact NATO’s security.
In a phone call between Erdogan and Stoltenberg, the Turkish President also highlighted grievances related to the F-35 fighter jet program and cautioned against associating Sweden’s membership with Turkey’s F-16 requests, asserting that it would be detrimental to NATO’s security.
Stoltenberg expressed satisfaction with the call and emphasized the importance of addressing terrorism, deterrence, and defense decisions during the upcoming NATO summit. He reaffirmed the commitment to working together on Sweden’s accession to the alliance.
Objections Over Sweden’s NATO Membership Bid
While Turkey recently ratified Finland’s NATO membership, it has raised objections to Sweden’s bid, citing alleged support for the PKK, a designated terrorist organization by Ankara. Sweden’s membership has become a priority for NATO and the United States ahead of the NATO leaders summit scheduled for July.
The US had previously blocked the sale of advanced F-35 fighter jets to Turkey due to its acquisition of the Russian S-400 air defense system, which posed potential security risks to NATO. Turkey was subsequently removed from the F-35 program. However, discussions regarding a potential F-16 deal have emerged as a means to address Turkey’s military needs while maintaining NATO interoperability.
Despite President Joe Biden’s administration expressing support for the F-16 sale, objections raised by the US Congress have caused delays. The approval of the deal aims to bolster Turkey’s aging fighter jet fleet while safeguarding the advanced F-35 technology’s security.
