Turkish parliament committee greenlights Sweden's NATO membership bid

The decision, which faced obstacles primarily from Turkey and Hungary, signals progress in Sweden's pursuit of NATO membership.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently linked Sweden's NATO bid to Ankara's request for F-16 fighter jets from the United States. The approval comes at a time when Sweden and Finland have abandoned their longstanding military non-alignment, opting for NATO membership following the onset of the war in Ukraine in February 2022.

While NATO members swiftly approved the membership bids of Sweden and Finland, Turkey and Hungary initially expressed reluctance. However, both countries eventually acquiesced, and Finland became NATO's 31st member in April.

As of now, Turkey and Hungary are the only remaining NATO members yet to ratify Sweden's bid, which was submitted 19 months ago. The Foreign Affairs Committee of the Turkish Parliament endorsed the measure on Tuesday.

This committee approval clears the path for a vote in the full parliament, where Erdogan's ruling alliance holds the majority. The timing of the full parliament vote is yet to be determined.

Erdogan withdrew his objections to Sweden's NATO membership in July, following measures taken by Stockholm against Kurdish groups labeled as "terrorists" by Ankara.

NATO allies, particularly France, have underscored the importance of Türkiye's cooperation, stating that the credibility of the alliance is "at stake." (ILKHA)