Turkey finally approves Sweden’s Nato bid, leaving Hungary as holdout
- After 20 months of delay, the Turkish general assembly voted 287-55 to approve the application Sweden made in 2022 in response to Russia’s Ukraine invasion
- Turkey had initially objected over what it said was the country’s protection of groups it deems terrorists
Turkey’s parliament ratified Sweden’s Nato membership bid on Tuesday, clearing the biggest remaining hurdle to expanding the Western military alliance after 20 months of delay.
Turkey’s general assembly, where President Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling alliance holds a majority, voted 287-55 to approve the application that Sweden first made in 2022 to bolster its security in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
When Sweden and Finland asked to join Nato that year, Turkey surprised some members in raising objections over what it said was the two countries’ protection of groups it deems terrorists.
It endorsed Finland’s membership in April last year but, along with Hungary, had kept Sweden waiting.
“We support Nato enlargement to improve the alliance’s deterrence efforts … We hope Finland and Sweden’s attitude towards fighting terrorism sets an example for our other allies,” Fuat Oktay, head of parliament’s foreign affairs commission and a ruling AK Party member, said during debate.