Erdogan Finally Agrees to Let Sweden Into NATO

Welcome back to World Brief, where we’re looking at Turkey’s last-minute agreement on Sweden joining NATO, the latest intrigue on Russian mercenary Yevgeny Prigozhin, and the Netherlands’ Mark Rutte’s decision not to run for reelection.

After more than a year of negotiations, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed on Monday to let Sweden into NATO. Ankara had blocked Stockholm’s membership bid over accusations that the Swedish government supported Kurdish nationalists. Hungary had also refused to approve Sweden’s application, saying it would only accept Stockholm’s bid once Turkey did.

Now that Erdogan has greenlighted a future for Sweden in NATO, it is likely that Hungary will quickly follow suit. NATO accession requires unanimous consent from all 31 members to be approved. “This is an historic step which makes all #NATO Allies stronger & safer,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg tweeted.

The announcement came as NATO begins its two-day annual summit in Vilnius, Lithuania. Less than 24 hours before the summit was due to start, Erdogan made a last-minute demand that the European Union open a path for Turkey to join the bloc in exchange for his approval of Sweden’s accession to the military alliance. Although the demand itself was surprising for many regional experts, the timing of it was not, said Steven Cook, a senior fellow for Middle East and Africa studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. Turkey has a history of stirring the pot in last-ditch efforts to secure a win. In the past, that’s meant pushing the U.S. Congress to supply Ankara with new F-16 fighter jets despite democratic backsliding and pressuring Stockholm to crack down on anti-Turkey demonstrations.

Already, Erdogan had forced Sweden to amend its constitution, impose new counterterrorism laws, and extradite numerous Kurdish nationalists to Turkey. Now, Turkey has also gotten Sweden to agree to “actively support efforts to reinvigorate” Turkey’s EU accession process—including modernizing the EU-Turkey Customs Union and visa liberalization—as well as to eliminate trade barriers and increase bilateral economic investments, according to a joint statement released Monday.

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Tuesday, July 11: The result for Israel’s Knesset vote on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s judicial reform bill is expected.

Tuesday, July 11, to Wednesday, July 12: NATO members meet in Vilnius, Lithuania, for a two-day summit.

Tuesday, July 11, to Friday, July 14: Indonesia hosts the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ foreign ministers meeting.

Wednesday, July 12, to Friday, July 14: South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol visits Poland.

Thursday, July 13: Egypt hosts a conference to discuss Sudan’s civil war.

Thailand’s parliament meets to choose a new prime minister.

U.S. President Joe Biden visits Finland.

Monday, July 17: The United Nations Security Council discusses Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Black Sea Grain Initiative is set to expire.

Prigozhin intrigue deepens. The mystery behind Russian mercenary Yevgeny Prigozhin’s abrupt decision to abandon his insurrection halfway to Moscow, as well as his current whereabouts, continues to deepen. On Monday, the Kremlin revealed that Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Prigozhin and top commanders of his Wagner Group in Moscow mere days after the paramilitary organization’s attempted coup on June 23. According to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, around 35 people attended the previously undisclosed three-hourlong meeting, where they discussed Prigozhin’s march toward Moscow and past Wagner successes on Russia’s front lines.

The meeting adds new complexity to the already confused public narrative of Prigozhin’s post-coup movements. Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko, who claims to have brokered the agreement between Putin and Prigozhin that ended the mutiny, initially said the Wagner chief had fled to Belarus in exile as part of the agreement. Then, last Thursday, Lukashenko said Prigozhin was not in Belarus after all and was somewhere in Russia. His current whereabouts remain unknown, but now, at least according to the Kremlin’s story—which has not been independently verified—it seems that Prigozhin at one point met with Putin in Moscow.

And in another major public appearance, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, Russia’s highest-ranking army officer, appeared in footage released by the Kremlin’s defense ministry on Monday. The video, which was shot the day before, shows Gerasimov ordering soldiers to destroy Ukrainian missile sites. Evidence of Gerasimov’s continued authority demonstrates that Putin kept him—as well as Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu—in power despite Prigozhin demanding their resignations.

Mark Rutte says goodbye. It’s time for former Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte to revamp his resume. Rutte announced on Monday that he will not seek a fifth term in office and instead will continue on as caretaker prime minister until new elections can be held in November. On Friday, Rutte’s coalition government collapsed after failing to pass more restrictive asylum policies, forcing him to resign. Known as “Teflon Mark” for his ability to survive political scandals, he was the longest-serving prime minister in Dutch history.

Heads of state have been watching Rutte for months, with many placing the Dutch leader on NATO’s shortlist to be the next secretary-general. However, Stoltenberg announced last week that he would extend his term for another year, marking a blow to Rutte’s NATO ambitions.

India’s red alert. Mass flooding in northern India over the weekend killed at least 22 people, local officials announced on Monday, with the death toll expected to rise. Rescue operations are still underway to assist people trapped in damaged buildings and collapsed bridges. Regional authorities are urging people to stay in their homes until the latest wave of torrential rainfall dissipates.

In June alone, three states in northern India received above-average rainfall as the subcontinent kicked off its monsoon season. This comes as New Delhi marked its wettest July day in more than 40 years on Sunday. The Indian Meteorological Department issued a red alert for four northern states, as well as landslide warnings for two of them.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen wrapped up a four-day trip to China that garnered few diplomatic accomplishments—except when it came to food. At Yi Zuo Yi Wang, a local restaurant that Yellen ate at during her trip, you can now order off the “God of Money” menu, featuring all of the dishes Yellen’s party ordered. For $140.58, you can see what it’s like to dine as Washington’s top financial officer, complete with peppermint beef rolls, roasted cheese tiles, and craft beer.