Turkish parliament ratifies Sweden's NATO accession, leaving Hungary as the last hurdle
Turkey's Grand National Assembly ratified the protocol on Sweden's accession to NATO on January 23, with 287 votes in favour, 55 against and four abstentions. The decision still needs to be signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, after which Hungary will be the only ally yet to approve Swedish membership.
Sweden and Finland applied for membership in May 2022, after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Finland joined in April 2023, while Ankara blocked Sweden's bid, demanding that Stockholm take a tougher line on groups Turkey considers terrorist, above all the PKK.
F-16s in the background
Ratification is closely linked to Turkey's request to buy US F-16 fighters and a modernisation package for its existing fleet. Erdoğan had objected to Washington making the sale conditional on Swedish membership; after ratification, the US administration is expected to start the sale process in Congress.
Sources and references
- I.WikipediaSweden–NATO relations🔗 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweden%E2%80%93NATO_relations
- II.WikipediaAccession of Sweden to NATO🔗 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accession_of_Sweden_to_NATO
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