Erdogan’s veto over Sweden’s NATO bid and the F-16s
Despite the pressure on Turkey to ratify Sweden’s NATO membership bid, with the US saying the sooner this happens the better, Turkey’s President Erdogan poured cold water on rising hopes that a deal might be near. While the US is keen on Sweden joining NATO, Erdogan is keen on getting US F-16s, and it seems some have hinted that a quid pro quo could be on the cards.
Expert Sinan Ciddi joins Thanos Davelis to discuss what Erdogan gains by maintaining his veto over Sweden, break down why this is a first taste of what to expect from Erdogan following his re-election, and explore why the White House should make it clear that Sweden’s NATO accession is only the starting point if Turkey hopes to acquire F-16s.
Sinan Ciddi is a non-resident senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), where he contributes to FDD’s Turkey Program and Center on Military and Political Power (CMPP). He is also an Associate Professor of Security Studies at the Command and Staff College-Marine Corps University and Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.
