Turkish parliament ratifies Finland’s NATO membership  

QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Turkey’s parliament ratified on Thursday Finland’s application to join NATO, clearing the way of the Nordic country to become member of the Western military alliance.

All 276 lawmakers present voted in favor of Finland’s bid, days after Turkey’s and Hungary’s parliaments endorsed the accession.

“This will make the whole NATO family stronger & safer,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg wrote on Twitter in welcoming Turkey’s action.

Finland and Sweden formally applied to join NATO in May 2022 prompted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February but were met with huge rejection from Turkey and Hungary.

Turkey had rejected the two Nordic countries’ bid for NATO membership under the pretext that they support the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), the Democratic Union Part (PYD) and the People’s Protection Units (YPG).

Full unanimity is required to admit new members into the 30-member alliance, and Turkey and Hungary were the last two NATO members to ratify Finland’s accession.

Sweden’s bid to join the alliance, meanwhile, has been left hanging, with both Turkey and Hungary holding out on giving it the green light despite expressing support for NATO’s expansion.

Reporting by John Ahmad