Turkey's parliament has officially approved Sweden's accession to NATO, with only Hungary remaining as the sole holdout to the defense alliance's northern enlargement. After months of deliberations, the parliament in Ankara voted in favor of accepting Sweden's application by a margin of 287 to 55. The document will now be sent back to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for final approval, which is widely expected. Once Erdogan signs off on it, the application will be deposited with the US State Department in Washington.
Sweden's potential membership in NATO has been a significant goal for the country, and this move brings them one step closer to realizing it. Sweden submitted its application to join the alliance a year and eight months ago, which marked a significant shift in its defense policy. Following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, Sweden and neighboring Finland concluded in May 2022 that joining NATO would be the best way to deter aggression from Russia. Finland became a NATO member in April.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed the vote by Turkey's Grand National Assembly and expressed confidence that Hungary would soon complete its own national ratification. Sweden's entry into NATO would strengthen the alliance by reinforcing its northern reach and improving its ability to defend the eastern flank. Sweden and Finland had previously steered clear of military alliances, but Russian President Vladimir Putin's military actions prompted them to reevaluate their stance.
The US Ambassador to Turkey, Jeff Flake, referred to the vote as a "great move for Sweden, Turkiye, and all of NATO." Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson also expressed his satisfaction with the outcome, stating that the vote brought them one step closer to full NATO membership. Kristersson emphasized the positive implications of Turkey's support for Sweden's accession.
Turkey had initially been hesitant to agree to Sweden's proposal due to concerns over the Nordic country's handling of separatist groups, including the PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party), which Turkey designates as a terrorist organization. However, Sweden argued that it met NATO's membership criteria and had implemented measures to combat terrorism and uplifted arms export restrictions to Turkey.
In a promising development, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban invited his Swedish counterpart to Budapest for negotiations on Sweden's NATO bid. Hungary had previously postponed ratification in parliament, partly citing Swedish criticism regarding Hungary's democratic backsliding. Orban expressed that a courtesy call from Sweden's leader could help resolve the issue and improve relations.
There were additional complexities in Sweden's accession process, including Turkey's interest in purchasing fighter planes from the US. Turkey has sought to buy 40 Lockheed Martin Corp. F-16 Block 70 aircraft, along with 79 kits for modernizing its fleet. The approval of Sweden's NATO membership has been linked to this fighter plane deal. US President Joe Biden has made it a requirement for Turkey to support Sweden's NATO entry before proceeding with the sale. Turkey will likely expect the US to move forward with the aircraft purchase now that Sweden's accession is gaining momentum.