Why Turkey Is Still Blocking Sweden From Joining NATO

When NATO invited Sweden and Finland into the military alliance in June, its leaders hailed a “historic decision” that showed their collective determination to face down Russian aggression in Ukraine. But the expansion plan has splintered, with Turkey green-lighting Finland while refusing to allow Sweden to join unless it does more to crack down on groups outlawed in Turkey, including the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, the PKK. As the dispute drags on, it’s complicating efforts to present a united front against Moscow.

It’s demanding that Sweden extradite suspected Kurdish militants and alleged coup-plotters wanted by Turkey and stop supporters of Kurdish movements in Sweden displaying their allegiances openly. (Sweden’s laws on freedom of speech make it hard for the government to stifle public expressions of support for Kurdish independence.) Initially Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan opposed Finland’s bid too. But it lifted that block while effectively deferring a decision on Sweden’s membership bid until after the Nordic country’s new anti-terrorism laws go into force in June. The Swedish law, long in the works, will ban participation in a terrorist organization and give authorities tools to intervene in terrorist activity at an earlier stage. The other holdout, Hungary, also approved Finland’s entry while delaying a decision on Sweden. Hungary’s ruling party has linked that to a clash inside the European Union over the rule of law.