Building bridges: Türkiye, Sweden at new juncture | Column
Recently, I had the privilege of attending the Connect to Türkiye event in surprisingly sunny and warmish Stockholm, hosted by Turkish Airlines (THY). The gathering at the glamorous Stockholm City Hall brought together some of Sweden’s most influential names in media, marketing and sports, including Olympic champion and world record holder Armand Duplantis – A Swedish friend politely asked me to ask Duplantis to break his world record all at once to save them the trouble, but it was meant well! – Connect to Türkiye was more than just a networking event. It was a timely symbol of the opportunities that lie ahead for Türkiye and Sweden.
In recent years, relations between the two countries have admittedly faced challenges. Sweden’s historic decision to abandon its long-standing neutrality and pursue NATO membership was a geopolitical turning point. For Türkiye, legitimate concerns about terrorism and national security had to be voiced. What followed was an intense period of negotiation, sometimes interpreted as tension, but in reality reflecting the seriousness of the issues at stake. Ultimately, the Turks, traditionally a pro-expansion element within NATO, gave the green light to Sweden’s admission.
Yet, if we take a step back, the long arc of Türkiye-Sweden relations tells a different story. Historically, the two countries have been natural partners, trading and collaborating on shared interests across Europe and beyond. With Sweden now formally inside NATO, both countries are aligned not just politically but strategically: Two industrial powerhouses committed to security and stability in an era defined by uncertainty. Indeed, the two nations have been collaborating more closely to fight organized crime, as demonstrated by the July 2025 arrest of one of Sweden’s most wanted.
At this point, the strategic case is clear, but what matters equally is the societal one. It is not enough for governments to sign treaties and cooperate on defense. True partnership is built on people-to-people engagement: Business leaders, cultural ambassadors, academics and athletes who connect our societies in lasting ways. In this sense, the Connect to Türkiye event embodied exactly that spirit, serving as a reminder that diplomacy works best when it is underpinned by familiarity, dialogue and trust between communities.
As Türkiye and Sweden embark on this new chapter as NATO allies, the opportunity is there to do more than reset relations, to deepen them. By learning from each other’s worldviews, exploring each other’s strengths and cherishing our differences as much as our commonalities, we can transform a pragmatic alliance into a genuine partnership. In a turbulent world, that is a bridge worth building.
