Why is Erdogan’s move to rekindle EU membership a challenge for Brussels?

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Good morning. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan last night agreed to support Sweden’s membership in NATO, ending more than a year of opposition to the Nordic country joining the US-led military alliance.

But there’s a twist to the EU, which I’ll explain below. And Laura reveals why the collapse of Mark Rutte’s Dutch coalition is a possible precursor to other European governments beset by migration.

he is back

For months, EU officials have watched sympathetically as NATO struggled to persuade Turkey to accept Sweden as a new member of the alliance, offering supportive rhetoric and a warm shoulder.

till tomorrow.

Context: Erdoğan said last night he would make sure his parliament approves Sweden’s annexation, but only after he linked it to Ankara’s long-stalled efforts to enter the European Union, an issue Brussels The authorities had long believed to be firmly suppressed.

Despite vigorous protests from European leaders, including Germany’s Olaf Scholz, that the two issues are completely, completely, linked to nothing, Erdoğan’s unexpected curveball does present some dilemmas for Brussels.

There is little support inside the EU for Turkey’s pursuit of membership, especially as the bloc struggles with how to potentially accommodate war-ravaged Ukraine, Moldova and the western Balkan states.

EU Council President Charles Michel was forced to react quickly. He had a pre-scheduled meeting with Erdoğan last evening, giving him only a few hours to prepare a response to Turkey’s ultimatum.

Mitchell kicks the ball back into the Turkish half.

“(We) looked for further opportunities to bring forward EU-Turkey cooperation and re-energize our ties,” he said in a statement after the meeting. The European Commission has been “invited”. , , To present a report with a view to move forward in a strategic and visionary manner”, Michel said.

The discussions lasted 90 minutes and were “very intense”. , , What can we do on the EU-Turkey agenda”, said a person briefed on the meeting.

Michelle’s direct response is a smart move. Turkey’s interest in joining the EU family dates back to 1959, and for most of that time, it has been Ankara’s decision not to pursue it.

EU officials working on the 2015 migration crisis may be rolling their eyes. Then, Erdoğan delivered similar ultimatums involving efforts to stem the flow of people wishing to enter Europe.

Erdoğan met US President Joe Biden today, giving him another opportunity for a diplomatic diversion. He’s on a roll.

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Cluster weapons have a dark history of being used indiscriminately against civilians, but, as we explain in this military briefing on the US decision to supply Ukraine, they are needed for Kiev as a means to quickly end the war with Russia. is seen as

politicization

The collapse of the Dutch government over tightening immigration rules shows that the question of how to deal with migration is once again front and center in the EU. writes Laura DuBois,

Context: Yesterday, Mark Rutte, the longtime prime minister of the Netherlands, announced his retirement from politics, following the collapse of his coalition on Friday. The two coalition parties did not support Rutte’s proposal to limit the number of asylum seekers, which has risen in the past year.

Rutte was instrumental in brokering an EU deal with Tunisia to curb migration, helping member states agree on asylum reform after years of impasse.

Rutte’s resignation is likely to have no effect on ongoing talks with Tunisia or on agreed reforms. An EU official said both were “stable”.

But even as talks continue at EU level, domestically, migration is becoming increasingly divisive number of visitors – and tragedies – have multiplied, and EU governments are worried about the hardening of popular opinion. as of yesterday Eurobarometer In the survey, citizens now consider immigration to be one of the top three most important issues facing the bloc.

So how countries respond in the short term could be important. Another EU official said, “Migration is a topic that every single leader knows could bring down their government.”

Italy’s Giorgia Meloni is pushing for tighter curbs on the EU’s external borders, as well as plans to increase the number of permits for non-EU workers – something she and her coalition partners have previously opposed.

Belgium, like the Netherlands, is battling overcapacity at reception centres.

In Poland, migration has become a central election campaign issue, with opposition leader Donald Tusk unexpectedly trying to outdo his conservative rivals and recently calling For the country to regain control of its borders.

Generally, restrictive views on migration are becoming more mainstream.

Imogen Sudberry of the International Rescue Committee said, “The failure of European leaders to agree long-overdue reforms at EU level has enabled more extremist migration forces to take over government attitudes and positions.”

what to watch today

1. 2 days nato summit Begins in Vilnius.

2. The European Union Commission presents a proposal on a strategy on green freight transport and the virtual world.

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