On Tuesday, the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Turkish Parliament gave its approval to Sweden’s application to join NATO. The decision has now been forwarded to the full general assembly of the country for a comprehensive vote.
The head of the committee, however, told reporters that no date has been set for the vote and that it was unlikely to be held quickly, The New York Times reported.
In the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, both Finland and Sweden sought NATO membership, a significant move requiring unanimous approval from all NATO member states. Finland successfully joined NATO in April, becoming its 31st member after receiving ratification from the Turkish parliament.
However, Sweden’s NATO bid has faced delays as Turkey and Hungary have yet to provide their approval. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan recently stated that Turkey’s ratification of Sweden’s NATO membership hinges on U.S. congressional approval for the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey. While the White House has expressed support for the sale, there are reservations within Congress.
Erdoğan emphasized the interconnectedness of these issues, stating, “Positive developments from the United States regarding the F-16 issue and Canada keeping its promises will accelerate our parliament’s positive view on [Sweden’s membership].” He underscored that lifting arms embargoes by Canada and other NATO allies is also crucial.
Despite these challenges, on Tuesday, officials from Sweden and NATO celebrated the approval by the Turkish Foreign Affairs Committee. the Foreign Affairs
“We welcome the approval of Sweden’s NATO application by the foreign affairs committee in Turkey,” expressed Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. He continued, “The next step is for parliament to vote on the issue. We look forward to becoming a member of @NATO.”
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg also commended the Turkish committee’s vote. According to The Associated Press, Stoltenberg urged Turkey and Hungary to “now complete their ratifications as soon as possible. Sweden’s membership will make NATO stronger.”