President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's presidential palace, the Ak Saray outside Ankara, is as far from Sweden's Lulea airbase as it is possible to stretch in Europe, but on June 19 events in the high north superseded his main Nato gambit.
Since Sweden and Finland submitted a bid to join Nato on May 18, 2022, Mr Erdogan had stood out as a spoiler, openly refusing to send accession documents to parliament for ratification until he had secured concessions from Stockholm.
Diplomatic pressure mounted but the Turkish leader stood firm. Then, last month, the US air force played its trump card.
Two B1-B Lancers, the supersonic bomber built to carry 24 free fall nuclear bombs and now equipped with eight air-launched cruise missiles, landed in Sweden and held a joint exercise with the Swedish Airforce. It was the moment that Sweden's de facto Nato status crystallised.
Elisabeth Braw, a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, said the exercises showed that Sweden is very much part of the Nato "gang". Arriving at the summit in the Baltic capital Vilnius on Monday, Mr Erdogan used his leverage at last to target Brussels for concessions and a deal was done to move forward accession after all.
For Mike Doran, a long-time and sympathetic Erdogan watcher at the Hudson Institute, the announcement was a classic manoeuvre from the man who has essentially led Turkey since 2002. “This is Erdogan negotiating hard,” he said.
Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg hailed Mr Erdogan's agreement as a major victory, describing the two-day Nato summit as “already historic before it has started”.
“People think it's very mysterious, but it's not very mysterious. It's actually that this is in the interest of Sweden. It's also in the interest of Turkey,” he said.
Speaking on Tuesday, Pal Jonson, the Swedish Minister of Defence, told The National that Sweden stood ready to immediately join Nato's standing forces. “We are ready to support all the allies within the alliance,” he said.
The Turkish President, widely viewed as a master negotiator, kept allies guessing until the last minute. His sudden announcement in Istanbul on Monday linking Turkey's agreement to Sweden becoming a full-fledged Nato ally with Turkey's separate and long-time request to join the EU came as a surprise.
The European Commission was quick to pour cold water on any attempt at linking the two issues, with its deputy chief spokeswoman Dana Spinant telling reporters in Brussels that Nato and EU enlargement were “separate processes”.
“The European Union has a very structured process of enlargement with a very clear set of steps that need to be taken by all candidate countries,” she said.
The commission pointed to its recent recommendations on Turkey.
Its latest report, published in October, highlighted the EU's “serious concerns on the continued deterioration of democracy, the rule of law, fundamental rights and the independence of the judiciary” in Turkey.
Yet Mr Erdogan's negotiations skills seem to have unlocked, at least in writing, concessions from the bloc – as well as from the US.
On arrival in Vilnius, Mr Erdogan met European Council president Charles Michel in between two meetings with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, paving the way for Nato's Secretary General to announce Turkey's acceptance of Swedish membership later in the evening.
The EC invited its foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell and the EU Commission to submit a “report with a view to proceed in a strategic and forward-looking manner,” tweeted Mr Michel after he met the Turkish leader.
Analysts have pointed at possible financial incentives offered by Sweden to Turkey in exchange for Mr Erdogan approving its accession to Nato.
They include Sweden agreeing to support expanding the EU's free-trade arrangement with Turkey.
“With Washington lobbying behind the scenes, I understand that other EU members are open to negotiations,” wrote Turkish analyst Alsi Adintasbas in an op-ed published by the Washington Post.
Some are asking if Mr Erdogan's Turkey is now back in the position with Europe that it occupied in October 2015 when it agreed to stop irregular migration to Europe and take returnees from the Greek islands. That €3 billion package also included assurances on EU membership.
The two sides “welcomed the continuing work on the upgrading of the Customs Union”, a vital point in Monday night's deal. The statement declared that Turkey's accession process, which can be traced back to 1987, would be re-energised.
As a result, analysts are looking to Washington for the most meaningful parts of the breakthrough agreement. Mr Erdogan's “most important ask” remains the purchase of F-16s from the US, added Ms Adinstabas.
This requires a significant change of stance from the US Congress, which was angered by Turkey's decision in 2017 to buy Russian missile defence systems.
But the White House has “made headway over the weekend in convincing congressional leaders” to go ahead with the sale, wrote Ms Adinstabas.
The White House's lobbying efforts were confirmed on Tuesday by White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.
He told journalists in Vilnius that US President Joe Biden would “push ahead on getting F-16s to Turkey, as they have long wanted,” according to senior White House Bloomberg reporter Jennifer Jacobs.
Questioned about the F-16s, Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that Nato has been very clear about the need to remove restrictions on arms exports between allies.
“I welcome any dialogue between Turkey and the US on F-16s, but that's not part of the agreement we reached yesterday,” said Mr Stoltenberg.
Mr Sullivan also said that the US had thrown its weight behind Turkey's request for renewed engagement with Brussels.
US lobbying seems to have been crucial in smoothing over rifts between Turkey and its European allies, whether on the Nato front or with the EU.
Film: In Syria
Dir: Philippe Van Leeuw
Starring: Hiam Abbass, Diamand Bo Abboud, Mohsen Abbas and Juliette Navis
Verdict: Four stars
The specs: 2017 Porsche 718 Cayman
Price, base / as tested Dh222,500 / Dh296,870
Engine 2.0L, flat four-cylinder
Transmission Seven-speed PDK
Power 300hp @ 6,500rpm
Torque 380hp @ 1,950rpm
Fuel economy, combined 6.9L / 100km
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
Where can I submit a sample?
Volunteers can now submit DNA samples at a number of centres across Abu Dhabi. The programme is open to all ages.
Collection centres in Abu Dhabi include:
- Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC)
- Biogenix Labs in Masdar City
- Al Towayya in Al Ain
- NMC Royal Hospital in Khalifa City
- Bareen International Hospital
- NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Ain
- NMC Royal Medical Centre - Abu Dhabi
- NMC Royal Women’s Hospital.
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
More from Neighbourhood Watch
Know your camel milk:
Flavour: Similar to goat’s milk, although less pungent. Vaguely sweet with a subtle, salty aftertaste.
Texture: Smooth and creamy, with a slightly thinner consistency than cow’s milk.
Use it: In your morning coffee, to add flavour to homemade ice cream and milk-heavy desserts, smoothies, spiced camel-milk hot chocolate.
Goes well with: chocolate and caramel, saffron, cardamom and cloves. Also works well with honey and dates.
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
The Transfiguration
Director: Michael O’Shea
Starring: Eric Ruffin, Chloe Levine
Three stars
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHakbah%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2018%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENaif%20AbuSaida%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESaudi%20Arabia%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E22%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%24200%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Epre-Series%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EGlobal%20Ventures%20and%20Aditum%20Investment%20Management%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The bio
Job: Coder, website designer and chief executive, Trinet solutions
School: Year 8 pupil at Elite English School in Abu Hail, Deira
Role Models: Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk
Dream City: San Francisco
Hometown: Dubai
City of birth: Thiruvilla, Kerala
Tips on buying property during a pandemic
Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.
While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.
While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar.
Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.
Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.
Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities.
Keep your head and, as always when investing, take the long-term view. External factors such as coronavirus or Brexit will present challenges in the short-term, but the long-term outlook remains strong.
Finally, keep an eye on your currency. Whenever currency fluctuations favour foreign buyers, you can bet that demand will increase, as they act to secure what is essentially a discounted property.
THE LOWDOWN
Photograph
Rating: 4/5
Produced by: Poetic License Motion Pictures; RSVP Movies
Director: Ritesh Batra
Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sanya Malhotra, Farrukh Jaffar, Deepak Chauhan, Vijay Raaz
