The Turkish parliament on Tuesday granted approval to Sweden’s NATO membership application, thereby eliminating the final impediment to the expansion of the Western military alliance.
The majority-holding coalition of President Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling alliance in Turkiye’s general assembly voted 287-55 to approve the security bolstering request that Sweden initially submitted in 2022.
All NATO members must approve foreign membership applications. Turkiye objected to Sweden and Finland’s 2022 membership request, citing the two nations’ alleged support for terrorist organizations.
Turkiye and Hungary approved Finland’s membership in April last year but had kept Sweden waiting.
U.S. Ambassador Jeff Flake issued on Tuesday the following statement: “I greatly appreciate the Turkish Parliament’s decision to approve Sweden’s entry into NATO today,”
He maintained that Turkiye’s “commitment to the NATO Alliance clearly demonstrates our enduring partnership.”
Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom applauded the approval of the Turkish parliament. “We now look forward to President Erdogan signing the ratification document,” Billstrom said in a written statement.
Erdogan is expected to sign the legislation within days. The sole member state that has yet to grant its consent to Sweden’s annexation is Hungary.
Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary stated earlier on Tuesday that he had extended an invitation to his Swedish counterpart to visit and discuss Sweden’s joining the bloc.
