Recep Tayyip Erdogan could already feel like a winner before the start of the NATO summit. His unrealistic EU accession negotiations demand for Sweden to join the military alliance has opened many doors for the Bosphorus strongman – including a new arms deal.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan has done it again. The Turkish ruler made headlines ahead of an international summit. Fully hardened, the 69-year-old linked two processes that were completely independent of each other on paper. The road from Sweden to NATO leads only through EU accession negotiations for Turkey, he stoically said before the military alliance summit in Lithuania.
Knowing full well that his demand is completely unrealistic. Nevertheless: from Vilnius in Lithuania to Washington DC, mouths fell open. The “blackmailer” Erdogan was furious. Critics complained that the Turk would play into the hands of Vladimir Putin. The Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the German Bundestag, Michael Roth, exclaimed with little self-confidence: “The NATO summit is not a Turkish bazaar!”
Erdogan played into the hands of that. He routinely described Ukraine as “ready” for NATO membership. And immediately. While Sweden, which is not in an armed conflict, still needs to do more against “terrorism” to qualify. And again: great outrage!
Erdogan’s chess game
But what is behind Erdogan’s absurdities and what was he promised? The Turkish president apparently uses the NATO summit as a platform to advance national agendas.
And with success. Because even before the summit started, the fighters Sweden and Turkey shook hands. NATO boss Jens Stoltenberg spoke of a “historic” day and the “blackmailer” gave up his blockade surprisingly quickly. Erdogan wants Sweden’s admission to be ratified by the Turkish parliament soon. War commentator and Russia expert Gerhard Mangott tweeted: “It remains to be seen who will pay what price for the fact that Erdogan has now agreed to allow Sweden to join NATO.”
Well, the robust negotiator Erdogan must have done just that: negotiate. With concessions from the EU, Sweden and the US. Erdogan’s main concern was never publicly discussed by the negotiating parties. This is not about Sweden’s “fight against terrorism”, but mainly about the purchase of US fighter jets.
Turkey made a strategic mistake in 2017 when it bought S-400 missile systems from Russia but was hit by US sanctions. With an urgent need to modernize its air force fleet, Ankara has formally requested to purchase new F-16s and upgrade 80 aircraft from its existing inventory. But that’s exactly what the US Congress has so far blocked.
Will Erdogan get his jet deal?
For many politicians in Washington DC, Turkey is an “unfaithful ally”. The attitude towards countries such as Syria and Greece is also cause for concern. Yet Erdogan should have achieved what he wanted. After the green light was announced for Sweden, US President Joe Biden announced: “I am ready to work with President Erdogan and [der Türkei] to work together to strengthen defense and deterrence in the Euro-Atlantic area.”
The Turkish foreign ministry was less cryptic: the US would now support the supply of F-16 fighter jets and approve Ankara’s bid to join the EU. Biden’s security adviser, Jake Sullivan, confirmed this. In a certain mental sport one would now speak of “chess”, or “mate” follows, remains to be seen.
Erdogan could look forward to further concessions. As part of the announcement, Sweden agreed to support the extension of the EU’s free trade agreement with Turkey. Erdogan’s threats were also noticed in the highest EU circles. Council President Charles Michel was involved in the deliberations.
Michel stated after the agreement: “We have explored the possibilities to bring back the European-Turkish cooperation to the forefront and revitalize our relations.” Sweden even signed a “security pact” with Turkey to protect against members of Erdogan’s move against the hated Kurdistan Workers’ Party PKK. NATO boss Jens Stoltenberg also wants to appoint a special representative for the first time to fight terrorism in the military alliance.
Bargaining for the security of Europe
At every summit it is give and take. This time just before the actual start of the meeting. It is in the political nature of the matter that irrelevant topics are mixed up.
It remains to be seen whether Erdogan will fulfill his promise. But his unrealistic EU gamble has paid off for all parties: Sweden is joining NATO, the US is likely to strike a billion-dollar arms deal, and Erdogan can be celebrated at home. Nobility and selflessness rarely have a place in world politics, as evidenced by the Vilnius “bazaar”, where supply and demand determine a continent’s security policy.
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.
