Sweden resumes arms exports to Turkey after bid to join NATO – Middle East Monitor

Sweden’s Inspectorate of Strategic Products (ISP) announced on Friday that it had lifted a ban on the export of military equipment to Turkiye. Reuters report.

Sweden and Finland sought NATO membership earlier this year in the wake of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, an application that would require the approval of all 30 current members, and Turkiye opposed it.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan had threatened to block their bid over the Turkish government’s accusations that Ankara was supporting the YPG in northern Syria. It is seen as an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which is considered a terrorist group by the US and European countries. Union.

Sweden and Finland effectively banned arms exports to Turkiye in 2019 after Turkey’s invasion of Syria against Syrian Kurdish YPG militias. The ISP has since revoked existing permits and has not granted new permits, but no formal embargo existed.

read: Turkish president urges incoming Swedish government to take counter-terrorism measures necessary for NATO membership

The three countries reached a landmark agreement during the NATO summit in Madrid in June, with Sweden and Finland agreeing on a series of measures to address Turkiye’s concerns about his candidacy.

In a statement, ISP said it began granting export licenses in the third quarter, but did not disclose which companies or products were granted licenses, citing confidentiality.

“In view of the changed defense and security policy terms, the ISP has decided to grant permission for a follow-up delivery from the Swedish defense industry to Turkiye after a full review,” the official said.

Turkiye said in May this year that it had received a positive signal regarding the lifting of the embargo.