Yes to Sweden joining NATO
Erdogan demands F-16 fighter jets in return
December 8th, 2023, 5:35 p.m
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For months, Turkey has been delaying the yes to Sweden’s NATO membership that it had already promised in July. Now President Erdogan is making it clear: Ankara will only deliver if the USA approves the delivery of F-16 fighter jets. It’s no longer about Stockholm.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has made his country’s ratification of Sweden’s NATO membership dependent on an approval of F-16 fighter jets from the USA. The US said it “will not take action on the F-16 issue until Congress approves it, but I also have a parliament,” Erdogan told reporters in the afternoon. If Washington does its part “simultaneously and in solidarity,” the parliament in Ankara will do the same.
In response to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, traditionally non-aligned Sweden and its neighbor Finland applied for NATO membership in May last year. Finland joined the military alliance in April, Sweden is still waiting for the approval of member states Turkey and Hungary.
Ankara has been delaying Sweden’s accession to NATO for months. Erdogan gave his word at the NATO summit in July that Sweden could join, but the Turkish parliament has still not ratified the request.
US lawmakers worried about tensions with Athens
NATO partner Turkey needs the F-16 fighter jets demanded by Erdogan to modernize its air force. The US government has shown itself open to a sale worth $20 billion. However, several members of the US Congress expressed concern about the human rights situation in Turkey and tensions with NATO partner Greece.
Further potential for conflict between Washington and Ankara lies in US support for Israel in its war against the Islamist Hamas in the Gaza Strip and Kurdish groups in Syria. The USA has supported the Kurdish militia YPG in its fight against the jihadist militia IS – Turkey, however, sees it as a partner organization of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which it persecutes.
At least Erdogan now seems to be addressing the tensions with Athens: During a visit to Athens on Thursday, the Turkish president announced a new chapter in relations with his arch-rival. It was his first official visit to Athens since 2017.