After alienating Turkey from Western allies, President Tayyip Erdogan has reversed course using measures that have pleased the United States and upset Russia, a move aimed in part at reversing his country’s economic recession and boosting foreign investment.

The foreign policy overhaul is part of a broader recalibration carried out by Erdogan six weeks after his re-election: he has reversed course on the economy, reversing unorthodox fiscal policies blamed for Turkey’s soaring inflation and currency collapse, News.ro said.

Erdogan’s ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin have strained Turkey’s relations with traditional Western allies for years, along with other factors, including concerns about his increasingly autocratic rule.

But Western leaders, seeking to strengthen the alliance after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, welcomed Erdogan’s approval on Monday of Sweden joining NATO, which he has opposed for months.

The warmer tone contrasted with Moscow’s response last week, when Ankara allowed President Volodymyr Zelenskyi to bring home five Ukrainian commanders held in Turkey under a prisoner exchange deal.

Denouncing the move as a violation of the deal brokered by Turkey, Moscow said Ankara had promised to keep the commanders in Turkey and complained that it had not been informed.

Analysts believe that Erdoğan’s actions, in particular the declaration of support for Ukraine’s accession to NATO, are not accidental.

“In recent years, there has been an opinion that Turkish-Russian relations have gone too far. This indicates a clear rebalancing,” said Galip Dalai from the Chatham House think tank.

One of the main motivations is Turkey’s attempt to emerge from the economic crisis and revive foreign investment, Dalai added, noting that strained ties with the West have affected the economy and investment flows.

While Turkey has begun to attract Arab investment from the Persian Gulf, more is needed, he said.

“Turkey does not want a serious impact on Turkish-Russian relations, but it will inevitably affect relations. After the elections, Erdogan feels that he has more room for maneuver,” writes Reuters, citing News.ro.

What did Erdogan get for refusing to block Sweden’s entry into NATO

US President Joe Biden will unblock the transfer of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey after consulting with Congress, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Tuesday, Reuters reported.

“(Joe Biden) has not put any conditions on it (the delivery of F-16s to Turkey) … He intends to move forward with this transfer,” he said. Sullivan did not provide details on delivery times.

Some NATO partners believe that Turkey, which in October 2021 requested to buy Lockheed Martin Corp fighter jets and nearly 80 upgrade kits for existing warplanes worth $20 billion, has used its membership in Sweden to pressure Washington over warplanes .

Military analyst Tyler Rogoway scoffed at this apparent backroom compromise as Erdogan continued to block Sweden from joining and the Americans unblocked the fighter jets that Turkey had requested.

“How strange that everything came out at the right time, isn’t it? Turkey makes a 180-degree turn and supports Sweden’s candidacy for NATO. Goodbye! F-16 for you!” he wrote Rogovey on Twitter.

It will be recalled that NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday night that the President of Turkey agreed to support Sweden’s accession to NATO.