Turkey could be putting the brakes on Sweden and Finland's moves to join NATO.
Turkey not ‘positive’ about Finland, Sweden bids to join NATO, Erdoğan says
Turkey not ‘positive’ about Finland, Sweden bids to join NATO, Erdoğan says
Turkish president says he doesn’t want alliance to repeat ‘mistakes.’
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Friday his country doesn’t like the idea of Finland and Sweden joining NATO.
Finland’s leaders announced Thursday their intention to pursue membership in the transatlantic military alliance “without delay.” Sweden is expected to follow suit in the coming days. But those moves, which come in response to Russia’s brutal war in Ukraine, have sparked criticism in Turkey, which has been a NATO member since 1952.
“Right now, when it comes to Sweden and Finland, we follow the developments but not with a positive opinion,” Erdoğan
told reporters in Istanbul, adding that he wouldn’t want to repeat what he claims were “mistakes,” including the admission of Greece into NATO. Without evidence, Erdoğan also accused the Nordic countries of harboring terrorists — a charge he often lobs at domestic opponents and Western countries during disagreements.
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The text of the North Atlantic Treaty, in article 10, states:
Article 10
The Parties may, by unanimous agreement, invite any other European State in a position to further the principles of this Treaty and to contribute to the security of the North Atlantic area to accede to this Treaty. Any State so invited may become a Party to the Treaty by depositing its instrument of accession with the Government of the United States of America. The Government of the United States of America will inform each of the Parties of the deposit of each such instrument of accession.
Accession is not by majority agreement, but by unanimous agreement of all parties to the treaty. So, if Turkey does not want Finland, and/or Sweden to join, then they will not join. Of course, Erdogan could be causing an obstruction simply as a diplomatic ploy for gaining a
quid pro quo out of the US or the other NATO members.
NATO is said, by its cheerleaders, to be about defending freedom from autocracy. However, there is notably an autocrat, Recep Erdogan, leading NATO member Turkey.
Erdogan has enjoyed warmer relations with Putin than other NATO members in recent years, being accused of undermining the NATO agreement by purchasing the Russian S-400 air defence system, and Turkey's role in the F-35 fighter programme was axed as a result.
Turkey has, though, given meaningful assistance to Ukraine, also, in selling it the Bayraktar drones which have been extremely effective in destroying Russian military vehicles since the February invasion, and by blocking the Bosporus to the passage of Russian warships.