Theme

Geostrategic Europe

Stories related to European foreign policy and Europe as a global power.

Turkey agrees Sweden NATO membership as summit begins in Lithuania
The Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has agreed to Sweden's membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), hours before the military alliance's summit is due to get underway in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius on Tuesday (11 July). The NATO General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday evening (10 July) that President Erdogan would forward Sweden's bid to the Turkish parliament in Ankara and "ensure ratification". He described it as a "historic step" but stressed that a "clear date" for Sweden's formal accession to the organisation could not yet be given as this relies on both the Turkish parliament as well as Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary and the Hungarian parliament. Hungary and Turkey remain the only two NATO members who are not yet to retify Sweden's membership. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Tuesday that ratification of Sweden's bid is now "only a technical question". Reacting to the news, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said: "I am very happy, it is a good day for Sweden."
patrickn97 Tue, 07/11/2023 - 09:46 The time is now to finalise Sweden's accession to NATO, says Blinken
The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that the "time is now" to finalise Sweden's accession to NATO. While both Finland and Sweden applied to join NATO together on 18 May 2022, some two and a half months after the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Sweden's bid has been held up by objections from Hungary and Turkey. Finland on the other hand became the 31st member of the military alliance on 4 April 2023. Speaking at a press conference in the northern Swedish city of Luleå alongside Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson on Tuesday (30 May), Blinken added that Sweden has "taken very significant steps to address very legitimate concerns, and I think in terms of its own qualifications for membership, from day one it was qualified precisely because it’s been such a long-time partner for NATO; of course, the European Union; and with values that are fundamentally the same." Turkey has accused Sweden of being soft on groups that they perceive as terror organisations or consider existential threats, including Kurdish groups such as the PKK, and the Syrian Kurdish militia group, the YPG and its political branch, the PYD. In an attempt to address Turkey's concerns and to persuade Ankara to approve Sweden's bid to join NATO, at the start of May Sweden tightened anti-terrorism laws to include a prison term of up to four years for individuals convicted of participating in an extremist organisation in a way that is intended to promote, strengthen or support the group. 
patrickn97 Wed, 05/31/2023 - 09:56

Filter archive

Editor's choice
News
GEU Podcast: Is multilateralism in crisis? – with Stephanie Liechtenstein

GEU Podcast: Is multilateralism in crisis? – with Stephanie Liechtenstein

We’ve been hearing a lot recently about multilateral diplomacy in crisis but what does this really mean? Closing the first series of Global Europe Unpacked, Will Murray speaks to Stephanie Liechtenstein, the Web Editor-in-Chief of the Security and Human Rights Monitor, about multilateral diplomacy in the age of COVID-19, challenges for the OSCE, the EU, and more…
Editor's choice
News
GEU Podcast: Is EU ‘strategic autonomy’ compatible with NATO? – with Dr Jamie Shea

GEU Podcast: Is EU ‘strategic autonomy’ compatible with NATO? – with Dr Jamie Shea

After over 70 years at the forefront of Western defence strategy, what is the state of NATO? In this episode of Global Europe Unpacked, Will Murray speaks to Dr Jamie Shea, former NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges, about how the organisation is handling modern challenges, what a 'strategically autonomous' Europe means for NATO, and more...
Editor's choice
News
European Commission proposes new "ambitious" agenda for the Mediterranean

European Commission proposes new "ambitious" agenda for the Mediterranean

The European Commission has published its long-awaited strategy for taking forward its relationship with its southern neighbours. It proposes "a new, ambitious and innovative Agenda for the Mediterranean, drawing for the first time on the full EU toolbox and the ground-breaking opportunities of the twin green and digital transitions, in order to relaunch our cooperation and realise the untapped potential of our shared region".
Editor's choice
News
GEU Podcast: How should the EU manage relations with its eastern neighbours? – with Viola von Cramon MEP

GEU Podcast: How should the EU manage relations with its eastern neighbours? – with Viola von Cramon MEP

It’s now nearly 12-years since the establishment of the Eastern Partnership (EaP) – a joint initiative bringing together the EU, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. In this episode, Will Murray speaks to Viola von Cramon-Taubadel MEP about the EU’s neighbourhood policy to the east and how it should move forwards.
Editor's choice
News
GEU Podcast: How does Brexit affect Europe’s global ambitions? – with Dr Fabian Zuleeg

GEU Podcast: How does Brexit affect Europe’s global ambitions? – with Dr Fabian Zuleeg

It’s 2021 and the United Kingdom has formally left the European Union. In this episode of Global Europe Unpacked, Will Murray speaks to Dr Fabian Zuleeg, the Chief Executive and Chief Economist of the European Policy Centre in Brussels, about how the absence of the UK will impact the EU’s global ambitions and prospects for UK-EU relations going forward.
Editor's choice
News
Intensive diplomatic activity as Turkey and EU seek ways to restart relationship

Intensive diplomatic activity as Turkey and EU seek ways to restart relationship

After meeting Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in Brussels on Friday (22 January) European Council president Charles Michel tweeted that dialogue needs to produce tangible outcomes. Michel and Commission president Ursula von der Leyen are expected to visit Ankara soon at the invitation of president Erdogan.