Will the Turkish blockade of Sweden’s northern expansion finally be resolved at the upcoming NATO summit in Vilnius? US President Joe Biden and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke by phone beforehand and agreed to a bilateral meeting in Lithuania. In the background, Turkey’s support for the modernization of its air force and the supply of F-16 fighter jets should play a role.
The White House initially gave no information about the call. Biden had previously spoken in a CNN interview about the fight for Sweden to join NATO. He made it clear that he saw the fighter jets as a means to solve the blockade: Turkey is aiming to modernize its F-16 fleet and Greece is also asking for help, he said.
Biden believes in solution
“So frankly, I’m trying to put together something like a consortium that we use to strengthen NATO in terms of the military capability of both Greece and Turkey and allow Sweden to come in,” said Biden, optimistic about the case showed.
President Erdogan’s office said during the talks, the Turkish leader thanked Biden for his support in calling for US fighter jets. At the same time, the president made it clear that he did not think it right to link the F-16 issue to Sweden’s accession to NATO.
Turkey is known to dissuade the Scandinavian country from joining the military alliance. Erdogan Biden said Sweden has taken steps in the right direction by changing its terror law. At the same time, however, he accused Sweden of allowing demonstrations that glorify “terrorism” and thereby undo progress, as the statement revealed. A Koran was recently burned during a demonstration in Sweden, sparking outrage in the Muslim world.
Summit meeting with the Swedish Prime Minister
In addition to the meeting with Biden, there will also be a meeting between Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Erdogan, moderated by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Announcing the meeting on Friday, Stoltenberg made it clear that he was counting on Turkey to lift its blockade against Sweden’s entry into the alliance. Further delays would only be welcomed by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party PKK and Russian President Vladimir Putin, he said.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
