Swedish gov’t folder on NATO talks with Türkiye left at airport
STOCKHOLM
A Swedish government official folder containing documents from Stockholm’s NATO accession talks with Türkiye was left behind at Arlanda Airport in 2022, Sweden’s media has said.
Following Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s high stake meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in November 2022, a government official accompanying the delegation misplaced the folder upon returning to Stockholm, according to a report by Sweden’s Dagens Nyheter newspaper.
Sensitive diplomatic notes on Türkiye’s talks with Sweden over NATO membership were later discovered in an airport restroom by a member of the cleaning staff. It remains unclear how long the documents were accessible to unauthorized individuals.
While the Prime Minister’s Office confirmed the incident, Sweden’s head of security declared that the documents did not include information classified as “security-sensitive,” and therefore no formal damage assessment was carried out.
However, Dagens Nyheter, citing its sources, reported that certain parts of the file contained confidential foreign relations material that could have jeopardized Sweden’s ties with other countries.
The revelations fueled political debate in Sweden, with critics describing the incident as a serious security breach.
Türkiye had long conditioned its approval of Sweden’s NATO bid on tougher action against terrorist groups such as the PKK and FETÖ, arguing that Stockholm’s stance on the PKK in particular was insufficient.
After protracted negotiations among alliance members, Sweden ultimately agreed to address Türkiye’s security concerns. Ankara then lifted its veto, allowing the process to move forward.
With the subsequent ratifications complete, Sweden’s accession was finalized on March 7, 2024, making it the alliance’s 31st member.
