Sweden had applied for NATO membership in early 2022 with the onset of Russia invading Ukraine’s sovereignty and the fear they might turn on them. The country is not the only one to react. Finland made the move to join the NATO alliance motivated by security reasons than economic ones. However, the lack of oil and gas supplies was strong consideration when Economic Trade sanctions were imposed on Russia, and their response by minimizing if not cutting off these resources impacting the EU. Europe was impacted since they were heavily dependent on the Russian precious black gold.
Standing in the way of Sweden’s NATO membership was Turkey. They had been opposing for reasons that one of their enemies, the Kurdish alliance has been operating out of Sweden. President Erdogan had a flimsy truce between the various Turkish alliances, the People’s Workers Party (PKK), Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), and the People’s Protection Unit (YPG) all of which have conducted operations against the Turks in the southern eastern areas of the country. Yet, President Erdogan conciliated and will not stand in the way of their admission into NATO.
- Sweden has certainly made the right move toward its survival. Bordering the Russian and Belarus borders has given them time for pause and serious consideration for their future. Russia invading Ukraine is only one demonstration of how erratic and reckless a superpower can be. I can understand President Erdogan’s initial opposition to Sweden’s admission into the NATO Alliance because they supported the Kurds. The threat has grown even more so now that the Kurds have retreated into southern Turkey as they battle Islamic forces. While stationed in Turkey and having led some 45 Turkish officers and soldiers there was no love lost between them and the Kurds. Then reports would come in daily recounting Kurdish raids of small villages on the Turkish-Iranian border by horseback!