Politics

U.S. calls for approving Sweden’s NATO bid, as Turkey accepts Finland’s membership

"We continue to be very clear in our messaging with our Hungarian and Turkish partners that Sweden and Finland should both join NATO as soon as possible."

Laurie Mylroie 2023/03/31 12:05

Jens Stoltenberg, centre, with Finnish foreign minister Pekka Haavisto, left, and Anne Linde, then Sweden’s foreign minister, at the launch of the countries’ bid to join Nato in July last year (Photo: Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP/Getty Images)

Europe NATO membership Sweden Hungary USA

WASHINGTON DC, United States (Kurdistan 24) – Following the Turkish parliament’s approval of Finland’s bid to join NATO on Thursday, the U.S. called for a similar approval for Sweden as well. Turkey and Hungary had been the two hold-outs in the 30 member alliance regarding the admission of the two Nordic countries to the alliance. Unanimity among the existing members is required, before NATO can accept new members.

The positions of Turkey and Hungary have seemed to move in parallel, leading some observers, including the online media outlet, “Middle East Eye,” to suggest that the two countries are coordinating on this issue.

In mid-March, in a bid to advance Finland’s bid for NATO membership, Finnish President Saüli Niinisto, visited Ankara. At a joint press conference with Niinisto on March 17, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that Turkey would proceed with the ratification of Finland’s NATO membership, but not Sweden’s, as it still harbored “terrorists,” or so he charged.

Following Erdogan’s announcement, Hungarian authorities spoke and acted similarly, approving Finland’s accession to NATO, but not Sweden’s. “Some European allies suspect direct cooperation between the two nations,” Middle East Eye reported.

U.S.: Sweden Needs to Join NATO Too

The war in Ukraine has given Erdogan unusual influence in international affairs, because Turkey controls the Dardanelles, and they command access to the Black Sea—and all of Ukraine’s ports, as well as significant Russian ports.

The Biden administration is, thus, careful in criticizing Turkey. State Department Deputy Spokesperson, Vedant Patel, speaking to journalists on Thursday, shortly after the Turkish parliament voted to approve Finland’s NATO membership, said, “Both Hungary and Turkey are moving forward” on the protocol allowing Finland to join NATO.

But Finland alone is not enough, as Patel made clear, adding, “We are eager to welcome both Finland and Sweden into NATO soon, and we continue to be very clear in our messaging with our Hungarian and Turkish partners that Sweden and Finland should both join NATO as soon as possible, because it will not only strengthen the security of the [NATO] Alliance, it will strengthen the security of Europe,” and “strengthen the security of the United States as well.”

One journalist noted that “a lot of people in Europe” and in the U.S. Congress are saying that blocking the entry of Sweden into NATO “serves the interests of Russia.” The journalist asked Patel for comment, but Patel’s response did not address that point.

It is worth noting that Turkey has dealings with Russia on an entirely separate issue: the future of Syria.

Russia is now pushing for the normalization of relations between the Syrian regime and other countries, as well as extending the regime’s control to all of Syria.

Russia is, thus, promoting the normalization of ties between Ankara and Damascus. On Tuesday, it was announced that the Deputy Foreign Ministers of Turkey, Syria, Iran and Russia will meet next week in Moscow.

Possibly, Erdogan is using his authority to block new countries, like Sweden, from joining NATO as leverage in those talks or as leverage in some other issue of significant concern.