Russia has long been warning its neighbor Finland and other Nordic countries like Sweden against joining NATO.
Nevertheless, Finland managed to secure NATO membership by meeting Türkiye's requirements on counterterrorism efforts. Consequently, the PKK, recognized as a terrorist organization by the United States and various European nations, now faces restrictions on its activities within Finland.
It seems it wasn't that difficult after all.
On the other hand, Sweden, whose hopes for NATO membership depend on Türkiye's decision, could not act as swiftly as Finland. In 2022, Stockholm made constitutional changes to empower security forces in the fight against terrorism. After the changes came into effect on Jan. 1, 2023, they started working on aligning certain laws accordingly. Finally, as of June 1, a new law has been implemented, enabling a maximum imprisonment of four years for individuals involved in promoting, strengthening or supporting terrorist activities. In cases involving aggravating factors, a minimum of two years and a maximum of eight years imprisonment can be imposed. Additionally, the police have been granted expanded powers to detain and prosecute individuals engaged in financing or supporting terrorist organizations.
However, despite making the necessary legal adjustments on paper, PKK sympathizers in Sweden continue their activities unabated. They persist in provocative and primitive actions, such as burning Turkish flags and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's effigies on the streets of the capital Stockholm.
The Swedish authorities refrain from taking action against PKK members who operate under the guise of various labels such as PYD, YPG or the Swedish Democratic Kurdish Community Center. Furthermore, they continue to provide official funding to TV channels that propagate PKK's agenda under names like Nevruz TV, Rohani TV and Aryen TV.
If Sweden wishes to make progress toward membership before the NATO summit in Lithuania's capital Vilnius scheduled for July 11-12, which President Erdoğan is set to attend, they have to take clear steps in order to demonstrate goodwill.
The United States is closely monitoring the situation and has intensified its efforts through Türkiye's recently appointed Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. However, apparently, Stockholm needs more than just Washington's guidance in this new era.
As President Erdoğan has assumed a strong leadership position in Türkiye through a mandate from the people for five years, he has formed a new powerful Cabinet. The Turkish president's hand is stronger than ever before. Fidan, who had long been at the helm of Turkish intelligence (MIT), is not someone whom American or European counterparts can agitate regarding the PKK. There is no one more knowledgeable about the PKK and its relationships than Fidan, after all.
It is crucial for Swedish officials to recognize that Türkiye is resolute in refusing to tolerate further diplomatic maneuvering concerning the PKK and its associated groups, responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of Turkish citizens. With each passing day that Stockholm persists in its failure to comprehend the threat to the security of the Swedish people as evident from leaked discussions of the parliamentary defense committee, their NATO membership application aspirations continue to hang in the balance. Unless they address Ankara's justified counterterrorism demands, they will be unable to avert the consequences.
Nonetheless, irrespective of Stockholm's support, Türkiye will ultimately bring an end to the PKK terrorism it has been combating for nearly four decades.
