Putin before "victory"?
Expert warns of NATO flop with Finland and Sweden - Turkey with new demand
Created: 2022-06-05 04:49
By: Linus Prien
Siko boss Heusgen urges NATO and Turkey to reach an agreement.
Other experts are now analyzing the background to the Turkey dispute.
The news ticker.
NATO expansion with Sweden and Finland: security expert Christoph Heusgen advocates an agreement in NATO.
According to Heusgen, Germany and the EU must take on more responsibility in the world.
The security expert Heusgen calls for more EU engagement in the Balkans and in Africa.
Update from June 3, 5:09 p.m
.: Ibrahim Kalin, spokesman for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, again discussed the possible NATO accession of Finland and Sweden during a visit to Madrid.
"We don't feel under time pressure, like 'let's get it done by the NATO summit'," he said, according to the news
agency
Anadolu.
It is important that Sweden and Finland make it clear, openly, specifically and clearly how they want to act against terrorism.
The NATO summit in Madrid at the end of June is not a deadline.
Sweden and Finland join NATO - Finland wants to do "homework" with Sweden
Update from June 2, 1:50 p.m .:
In the debate about the Turkish blockade of Sweden and Finland joining NATO, Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto emphasized that they would continue the dialogue with Turkey.
"Together with Sweden, we will do our homework and prepare for Turkey's questions," Haavisto was quoted as saying by the Euronews channel at a press conference.
Before that, he also announced that Helsinki might be interested in Turkish armaments and held out the prospect of arms deals.
"There is some weapon technology from Turkey that could be of interest to Finland," Haavisto said, according to the British newspaper
Financial Times
.
He referred to "drones and other systems".
However, he does not want to rush ahead: "Let's first look at the current status of the negotiations." The Financial Times spoke of Finland's "charm offensive" to persuade Turkey to lift the blockade.
Sweden and Finland join NATO - Stoltenberg optimistic: "We will find a way forward"
Update from June 1, 6:20 p.m .:
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg remains optimistic that Sweden and Finland can soon be admitted to NATO, despite Turkey’s concerns.
"I am confident that we will find a way forward," Stoltenberg said at a joint press conference with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday.
Blinken said: "There is a broad consensus within NATO for the rapid accession of Sweden and Finland to the alliance."
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Finland and Sweden join NATO: Erdogan gives his word of power after negotiations
Sweden and Finland in NATO?
Erdogan government with a new demand
Update from June 1, 7:50 a.m.:
With a view to discussions about Finland and Sweden joining NATO, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu called for a change in Finnish and Swedish anti-terrorism laws.
Without changing the respective laws, Turkey's position will not change, Cavusoglu told the state news agency
Anadolu
.
Turkey is demanding tougher stances from both countries on the banned PKK and the Syrian YPG, which Ankara sees as an offshoot of the PKK.
The Gülen organization, which is blamed in Turkey for the attempted coup in 2016, should not be tolerated either.
“We explain very well why we are against it.
We explain it with examples, with photos, with videos," said the minister on Turkish resistance to the NATO accession of the Scandinavian countries.
Among other things, Cavusoglu is likely to be referring to documents that are said to show connections between the PKK and the YPG.
In his talks with
Anadolu
, the Turkish foreign minister also mentioned negotiations with Finland and Sweden.
"Even while these negotiations are ongoing, these terrorist organizations are demonstrating against Turkey," Cavusoglu stressed.
He accused the Scandinavian countries of allowing the activities of a group classified by the EU as a terrorist organization.
Cavusoglu also asked for written answers from Finland and Sweden.
In the talks with delegations from Helsinki and Stockholm, written demands were handed over to the representatives and now we are waiting for written answers to Turkish concerns.
He justified this as follows: “The government could change, a new government could come.
You could say 'We didn't know'.
After joining, their position could change.
So we want it all in writing.”
Sweden and Finland join NATO: Turkey blocks - and risks victory for Putin
First report from May 30th:
Munich/Stockholm – Turkey continues to block Finland and Sweden from joining NATO.
The head of the Munich Security Conference, Christoph Heusgen, sees a serious danger in a NATO disagreement: a possible triumph for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Turkish NATO blockade for Sweden and Finland: Expert warns of "victory" for Putin
Heusgen
emphasized the strategic relevance of close relations with Turkey to the
world
: "We are very interested in close cooperation." At the same time, however, he also acknowledged considerable difficulties with Ankara: "It is often difficult with Turkey." Heusgen's demand: " We must come to a positive conclusion at the NATO summit in Madrid at the end of June.
If we fail, Putin will win.”
Regardless of the future course of the USA, the security expert stated: "We Europeans and Germans must definitely take on more responsibility in the world." Heusgen emphasized that the change in era announced by Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his traffic light government must therefore be implemented "quickly". .
The USA cannot be replaced in terms of security policy.
Nevertheless, it is important to become a better partner for the Americans.
Christoph Heusgen © IMAGO
For example, a “rapid reaction force” is needed “so that we are able to act even in cases in which Washington stays out”.
With regard to the escalating Ukraine conflict, Heusgen made it clear: “We must do everything we can to help Kyiv, including by supplying heavy weapons.
Because Ukraine is also defending us and the security of the NATO countries.”
Sweden and Finland want to join NATO: Biden government sees accession in no danger
Meanwhile, the further progress of the struggle with Turkey for the accession of Sweden and Finland is unclear.
The
New York Times
reported on Monday that most experts see no danger in Sweden and Finland joining.
Rather, according to analysts, the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is out to promote his own security policy interests.
In addition, Erdoğan has an interest in making a name for himself as he faces elections in Turkey next year.
The government of American President Joe Biden also assumes that Turkey, Sweden and Finland will come to an agreement.
American Ambassador to NATO Julianne Smith said in direction to Ankara: "It seems to be a problem that you have with Finland and Sweden.
So we will leave it to them.” However, the diplomat did offer support to the Scandinavian countries should it be needed.
Former US ambassador to Turkey and Finland, Eric Edelman, was more skeptical.
The diplomat warned against Turkey's attempts to curry favor with Russia.
Possibly Erdoğan wanted to appease Putin after his country delivered drones to Ukraine.
"He has this very difficult relationship with Putin," he told the
New York Times
, "that's a good way to throw a little bone to Putin: 'Look, I'm still useful to you.'"
When asked by the newspaper, expert Emre Peker, like Heusgen, assumed that a compromise could be reached at the end of June before the NATO meeting in Madrid at the end of June.
Erdogan is less concerned with concessions from the US than with articulating his own demands for dealing with Kurdish separatists and removing a Swedish arms embargo.
Security expert Heusgen calls for more EU engagement in the Balkans and in Africa
Heusgen, meanwhile, put his focus on the Balkan region and Africa beyond a united NATO with regard to the accession of Sweden and Finland.
The EU must expand and consolidate its zones of influence.
In the Balkans, for example, the EU is “the most important donor, the most important trading partner, the most important investor.” Nevertheless, the impression sometimes arises that China, Russia and Turkey have the greatest influence on the Balkan countries.
The chairman of the Munich Security Conference called on the EU to make its commitment more visible.
You have to generate more media presence and appear more in public.
China has long since expanded its sphere of influence to include South America and Africa.
Heusgen noted that the reputation of the United States in some regions is much worse than expected.
According to Heusgen, Germany and the EU must also offer African states more: "We must compensate for the fact that the Chinese are investing more everywhere than we are." , development policy and economic forces.”
(lp)
