The main international topic of recent topics was the prospect of Finland and Sweden joining NATO. On May 18, applications from these countries were submitted to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. He stressed that the decision of Helsinki and Stockholm would strengthen the security of Europe at a critical moment. Jens Stoltenberg noted that he welcomes this step and every nation has the right to choose its own path.

The reason for the emergency actions of these countries was the war in Ukraine. This forced the abandonment of the neutral status of Finland and Sweden. After that, the public institutions of the Scandinavian countries began the necessary procedures for this. This means that the North Atlantic Alliance will expand from 30 to 32 countries. But! It turned out that everything is not very simple. And the alliance risks not gaining,but losing.

Turkey was categorically against the new NATO members. On May 16, President Erdogan said that Ankara is against the membership of Finland and Sweden in NATO.During his briefing, he stressed that if these countries join the alliance, then NATO will cease to be an organization for security,but will become a place for those who support terrorism. The fact is that these two countries support the Kurdistan Workers’ Party or PKK. It is known that for the Turks this party is considered terrorist.

There have already been reports that Turkey is ready to leave the North Atlantic Alliance if Finland and Sweden join it. Turkey will not be missed much. This is a very difficult and wayward partner. But if Turkey leaves the alliance, NATO will suffer serious reputational losses. A precedent will be set. The unity of the alliance will be broken. Turkey will be able to create an alliance with Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. This is a long-standing initiative of the Turkish leadership.

However, Erdogan would not be himself if he had not set a number of conditions for Washington and Brussels to receive Sweden and Finland. He demanded to return the country to the F-35 fighter supply program, lift US sanctions for the purchase of Russian S-400 air defense systems, but most importantly,the head of Turkey demanded that the leadership of Sweden and Finland recognize the PKK as a terrorist organization. Let me remind you that representatives of this party are members of the parliaments of these countries. Old Erdogan does not give a quiet life to anyone.

And now he has set a difficult task for the leadership of NATO and the United States. Go on about and be blackmailed? Or jeopardize the integrity of the North Atlantic Alliance and provoke the emergence of a new alliance that will not let anyone into Central Asia, the East and Africa?