Turkey wants concrete EU accession steps after Sweden NATO approval: senior official

Turkey wants a European Union reform group to be revived after it approved Sweden's NATO membership, a senior Turkish official told Reuters on Tuesday, with Ankara seeking improved ties with the West.

The key NATO member expects concrete progress from the EU on issues such as visa-free travel, as well as closing some chapters on EU accession, the official said, adding that the West needs to support Turkey in its financial needs.

Turkey is willing to develop a "reasonable" relationship with the US, following years of tensions, and expects the swift resolution of some problems, even though all issues may not be solved, the official said, but would not compromise its relations with Russia.

It comes after Turkey finally agreed to allow Sweden to join NATO over a year after the issue was raised when Russia invaded Ukraine.

Turkey blocked Sweden's membership over allegations it harbours Kurdish activists who Ankara accuses of terrorism.

Late on Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed to forward to parliament Sweden's bid to become a member of the NATO military alliance, following months of pressure by the US and its allies.

Some NATO partners believe that Turkey, which requested in October 2021 to buy $20 billion of Lockheed Martin Corp F-16 fighters and nearly 80 modernisation kits for its existing air fleet, has been using Swedish membership to pressure Washington on the warplanes.

But Erdogan said on Monday that Turkey's ratification of Sweden's NATO membership bid and the United States' sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey are not to be linked.

On Tuesday, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said President Joe Biden will move forward with the transfer of F-16 jets to Turkey in consultation with Congress.

Speaking ahead of a summit of NATO leaders due to start later in the day in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius, Sullivan said President Joe Biden "had been clear that he supports the transfer".

"He has placed no caveats on this… He intends to move forward with that transfer," he said.

Sullivan did not give any details on the timing.

After demanding a return to European Union membership talks, Erdogan also agreed with EU chief Charles Michel to seek closer cooperation.

The pair met in Vilnius on the eve of the NATO summit, after Erdogan declared that Turkey would not approve Sweden's bid to join the alliance without a revival of Ankara's EU ambitions.

"First, open the way to Turkey's membership of the European Union, and then we will open it for Sweden, just as we had opened it for Finland," the Turkish president said, before flying to Lithuania.

Turkey has been a formal candidate to join the European Union since 2005, and an aspirant since long before that, but talks have long been stalled with little sign of life.

Glad to announce that after the meeting I hosted with @RTErdogan & @SwedishPM, President Erdogan has agreed to forward #Sweden's accession protocol to the Grand National Assembly ASAP & ensure ratification. This is an historic step which makes all #NATO Allies stronger & safer. pic.twitter.com/D7OeR5Vgba

— Jens Stoltenberg (@jensstoltenberg) July 10, 2023

After Erdogan met separately with the EU's Michel and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced a breakthrough.

Erdogan was ready to send Sweden's accession protocol to the Turkish parliament in return for deeper cooperation on security issues and Swedish support for reviving Turkey's quest for EU membership.

US President Joe Biden welcomed Erdogan's agreement to support Sweden's application to join NATO.

"I stand ready to work with President Erdogan and Turkey on enhancing defence and deterrence in the Euro-Atlantic area," Biden said in a statement.

"I look forward to welcoming Prime Minister Kristersson and Sweden as our 32nd NATO ally."

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov played down the Turkish move, saying Ankara had to meet its obligations as a NATO member.

He added that Russia would continue to develop its relations with Turkey, which unlike its NATO allies has refused to impose economic sanctions on Moscow over the war in Ukraine.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will speak to Erdogan about Turkey's relationship with the European Union at this week's NATO summit, the German leader said in Vilnius on Tuesday.

(Reuters, AFP, AP)