NATO blockade in the middle of the Ukraine war: can the alliance simply throw Erdogan out?

Created: 05/21/2022, 07:02

By: Magdalena von Zumbusch

Turkey is currently blocking Finland and Sweden from joining NATO.

© Burhan Ozbilici/AP/dpa

In the Ukraine-Russia war, Erdogan wants to prevent Sweden and Finland from joining NATO unless he receives certain advantages.

Ankara - Turkey has threatened to block NATO accession talks with Finland and Sweden.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan only sees an expansion of the alliance as possible if NATO respects Turkey's "sensitivities", according to the report by the news portal

: NATO is currently showing the planned connection of the "terrorist nests" Sweden and Finland does not have the necessary "tact" to get Turkey to cooperate, Erdogan said.

Finland and Sweden blockade confirms NATO: "You can't rely on Turkey under Erdogan"

Sweden and Finland officially applied for NATO membership on Wednesday (May 18) for fear of Russia as a result of the escalated Ukraine conflict.

Finland, for example, has a border with Russia that is more than 1,300 kilometers long.

In response to the applications, the Turkish President has repeatedly stated that Turkey will not agree to the admission.

Because of the unanimity principle that applies to NATO expansions, the admission of Sweden and Finland could thus be permanently blocked.

According to the Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ)

, the threat to use his veto power for his own interests in the middle of the Ukraine war is likely to be perceived as “lacking solidarity and irresponsible” by the USA, which is already critical of Turkey .

Meanwhile, US President Biden spoke about the hoped-for gain for NATO: "Finland and Sweden are making NATO stronger," emphasized the US President at a joint press conference between Finland and Sweden.

He is proud to support the proposals for the “strongest and most powerful defense alliance in world history”.

In view of the desire for NATO membership, Erdogan has probably found a suitable means of blackmail.

Video: Turkish veto on NATO expansion - Erdogan wants more "tact"

Erdogan blockade of NATO expansion: is Turkey contractually possible?

The question arises: could NATO throw Turkey out as well?

The answer is given quickly: Turkey's termination of the alliance is not an option from a legal point of view, as a look at the "North Atlantic Treaty", the founding treaty of NATO, shows.

Only a voluntary resignation of the members is planned, a "expulsion" of a state is not an option.

Article 13 of the North Atlantic Treaty provides:

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“After twenty years of the contract, either party may opt out of the contract one year after giving notice of termination to the United States government;

this shall inform the governments of the other parties of the deposit of any notice of termination.”

A voluntary exit option will probably not help in the Erdogan case: Turkey will not say goodbye voluntarily.

Ultimately, kicking Turkey out is not good for NATO in the long term either: with one of the strongest armies in NATO, it is an important strategic ally.

The geographical location between Europe and Asia also makes the country interesting as a military partner.

USA believes in arbitration of the NATO dispute: Despite Erdogan's experience with political blackmail

The US government has recently expressed confidence that it will ultimately be possible to find a solution to the differences with Turkey.

According to the assessment of the diplomats involved, in addition to declarations by the accession candidates on the fight against terrorism, above all an arms deal with the USA that Turkey is striving for plays a role.

Ankara wants to buy F-16 fighter jets from the USA - the deal is controversial in Washington and was recently rejected.

Finnish President Niinistö has also tried to address the concerns in Ankara.

Finland is ready to discuss Turkey's concerns.

"Finland and Sweden are working directly with Turkey to achieve this, but we are also speaking to the Turks to try to facilitate the process," Biden's national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Wednesday (May 18).

He and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken have spoken to their respective Turkish counterparts and are "very confident about further developments".

Ukraine-Russia-News: Erdogan "negotiates" Sweden and Finland's accession to NATO

It is not unlikely that Erdogan could negotiate advantages for Turkey with the new lever of the veto against Finland and Sweden joining NATO.

Erdogan could use the successes for the next elections, since his country is also criticizing the boss, for example last fall because of the mass expulsion of Western diplomats.

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