Turkey Votes in Favour: Sweden’s NATO Membership Edges Closer.
In a pivotal move, the Turkish parliament voted on Tuesday to endorse Sweden’s NATO membership bid, marking a significant stride for the Nordic country after months of delays, as reported by CNN.
Out of the 346 members of parliament who participated in the vote, 287 were in favour of Sweden’s accession to the military alliance, while 55 voted against it. Four members abstained from voting. This endorsement, the second step in Turkey’s ratification process, follows last month’s approval by the parliament’s Foreign Affairs Commission.
With this crucial parliamentary vote, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan can now proceed to sign the protocol into law, clearing a substantial hurdle for Sweden’s NATO membership. Hungary remains the only member state yet to ratify Sweden’s accession.
However, Hungary’s Prime Minister Victor Orban, on Tuesday, extended an invitation to his Swedish counterpart Ulf Kristersson to negotiate the terms of Sweden’s accession during a visit to Hungary.
The NATO membership aspirations of both Sweden and Finland gained momentum in May 2022, prompted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. While Finland joined NATO in April 2023, doubling the alliance’s border with Russia, Sweden faced multiple delays on its path to accession.
Erdogan’s initial objection to Sweden’s bid centred on accusations of leniency toward militant groups, including the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Sweden has since tightened its anti-terror legislation and committed to closer collaboration with Turkey on security matters.
Crucially, Erdogan’s approval of Sweden’s accession hinges on a commitment from the United States. The Turkish president has signalled that he won’t sign the protocol into law unless the US approves the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey.
However, US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Ben Cardin stated on Tuesday that Congress is awaiting the completion of accession documents before progressing on the matter, adding a layer of complexity to Sweden’s NATO journey.
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Credit: CNN
