From Washington’s point of view, only the United States can speed up the settlement of the NATO dispute, as Turkey probably wants concessions from it, writes ‘s US correspondent Iida Tikka.
19.5. 06:10 • Updated May 19th. 07:23
WASHINGTON. President Sauli Niinistö is visiting Washington today for the second time in just three months. This time, the Swedish Prime Minister will also be present Magdalena Andersson.
The United States has promised political support to both countries throughout the NATO process. Outwardly, it appears precisely as appointments, handshakes, and rhetoric.
At the same time, behind the scenes, the United States is working furiously to solve the problem of slowing down the NATO road in Finland and Sweden, the procrastination of Turkey.
Washington first the task has been to find out exactly what Turkey wants. U.S. administration officials have had a lively discussion with their Turkish counterparts, most recently the Secretary of State yesterday. Antony Blinken met Turkey Mevlüt Çavuşoğlun In New York.
The content of the discussions is not told very openly, perhaps because playing Turkey could inspire other NATO countries to gimmick. That would put the United States in an awkward position, as NATO’s driving force in the country is both the most burning will to expand the military alliance and often the most to give to its members.
For example, Turkey may want the United States to make concessions to the Kurdish question or to resolve a long-disputed arms deal.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has made claims in connection with the Kurds in Finland and Sweden. From Washington’s point of view, only the United States can really solve Erdogan’s most worrying issue.
It is likely to be found in northern Syria, where the United States and Turkey have at times been practically at odds. So have the presidents of Erdogan and the United States Joe Biden.
Erdogan, on the other hand, sees Kurdish forces as a threat. He does not want the Syrian Kurds to succeed in their goal of establishing their own, independent territory, especially right next to the Turkish border. When the United States resigned as president (moving to another service)Donald Trumpinduring the period of arming Kurdish forces, Turkey rejoiced.
And when Trump unexpectedly withdrew U.S. troops from northern Syria in 2019 and left Kurdish troops on their own, Turkey invaded. Biden, then president, condemned both Trump’s decision-making and Erdogan’s actions.
Since then, the United States has acted as a mediator in talks between Turkey and Kurdish forces, with Turkey aiming to develop a buffer zone between Kurdish-dominated Southeast Syria and Turkey.
However, discussions subsided at the end of Trump’s term. Turkey may well hope that the United States will turn its attention back to this.
Another in Turkey and the United States the issue of relations is related to the arms trade.
Military trade between the two countries has been stalled since Turkey bought Russian-made S-400 missile systems. As a result of the deals, the United States suspended Turkey’s involvement in F-35 deals, even though the country had planned to buy up to a hundred fighter jets from the United States.
Since then, Turkey has tried to buy 40 F-16 fighters from the United States, but the deals have also failed.
So is it more important to Biden to get Sweden and Finland to NATO than to take care of Kurdish allies? And can Turkey’s arms deals with Russia be printed with wool?
In theory, the United States has something to give, but it is a matter of priorities.