On January 23, the Turkish parliament voted to approve Sweden's NATO membership bid, marking a significant step in the Nordic country's path to joining the military alliance, CNN reports. The vote, with 287 members in favor, 55 against, and four abstentions, comes after months of delays and hurdles in the ratification process.
The ratification process in Turkey has been a crucial element in Sweden's journey to join NATO. Hungary remains the only member state yet to ratify Sweden's accession. Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban invited his Swedish counterpart, Ulf Kristersson, to negotiate the terms of Sweden's accession, indicating potential further discussions.
Sweden, along with Finland, applied for NATO membership in May 2022 in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Finland joined NATO in April 2023, doubling the alliance's border with Russia. However, Sweden faced various delays and obstacles in its accession process.
Initially, Erdogan opposed Sweden's bid, raising concerns about the country's approach to militant groups like the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Sweden responded by tightening its anti-terror legislation and enhancing cooperation with Turkey on security matters. Erdogan's approval hinged on a commitment from the United States, with the Turkish president signaling that he wouldn't sign the protocol unless the US approved the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey.
U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Ben Cardin noted that Congress awaits the completion of the accession documents before moving forward on the matter. The Turkish parliamentary vote was welcomed by Swedish Prime Minister Kristersson, who stated that Sweden is "one step closer to becoming a full member of NATO." U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Jeffry Flake emphasized the critical nature of Sweden's NATO accession, and the German government applauded the outcome, linking it to a response to Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.
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