Turkey’s parliament approves Sweden’s NATO membership bid
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – After 20 months of delays, the Turkish parliament voted on Tuesday to approve Sweden’s NATO membership bid, bringing the Nordic country one step closer to joining the military alliance.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to sign the legislation in the coming days, making Hungary the only member state that has not approved Sweden’s NATO membership.
After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Sweden and Finland applied for NATO membership in May 2022. Finland joined NATO in April 2023, increasing the alliance’s border with Russia, while Sweden has faced delays and hurdles in its path to accession.
Turkey initially objected to Sweden’s membership bid, accusing Swedish officials of being too lenient on militant groups, including the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
In response, Sweden introduced an anti-terrorism bill, and Sweden, Finland, Canada, and the Netherlands relaxed their policies on arms exports to Turkey.
In addition, Erdogan linked the approval of Sweden’s bid to parliament with the condition of U.S. approval for the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey.
The U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Jeffry Flake said on X platform on X, that “Sweden’s accession to NATO is a critical step in strengthening the alliance” and that he “greatly appreciate the Turkish’s parliament’s decision to approve Sweden’s entry into NATO.”