The Turkish Parliament’s foreign affairs committee gave its consent to Sweden’s bid to join NATO on Tuesday, drawing the previously non-aligned Nordic country closer to membership in the Western military alliance.
Quick Read
- Turkish Committee Approval: The Turkish Parliament’s foreign affairs committee approved Sweden’s bid to join NATO, moving Sweden closer to membership.
- Next Steps: Sweden’s accession protocol now awaits approval in Turkey’s general assembly, the final stage in the legislative process, with no set date for the vote.
- Turkey’s Delay in Ratification: Turkey delayed ratifying Sweden’s NATO application for over a year due to concerns about Sweden’s approach to groups Ankara considers security threats, including Kurdish militants and a network implicated in Turkey’s 2016 failed coup.
- Link to U.S. Military Sales: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan linked Sweden’s NATO bid to U.S. Congress approval of Turkey’s request to purchase F-16 jets and upgrade its fleet.
- Erdogan’s Call to NATO Allies: Erdogan called on Canada and other NATO allies to lift arms embargoes on Turkey.
- U.S. Position: The White House supports Turkey’s F-16 request, but there is significant opposition in Congress to military sales to Turkey.
- Previous Committee Delay: The Turkish committee had postponed discussions on Sweden’s membership last month, citing unresolved issues and incomplete negotiations.
- Committee Vote for Sweden: The majority of legislators in the committee voted in favor of Sweden’s NATO application on Tuesday.
- Sweden and Finland’s Shift: Sweden and Finland sought NATO protection following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, abandoning their traditional military nonalignment. Finland has already joined NATO.
- NATO’s Unanimous Approval Requirement: NATO expansion requires unanimous approval from all current members. Turkey and Hungary are the only countries still holding out on Sweden’s bid, with Hungary citing concerns about Swedish comments on Hungary’s democracy.
- Frustration Among NATO Allies: Other NATO allies are frustrated with the delays in accepting Sweden and Finland into the alliance.
The Associated Press has the story:
Sweden move closer to NATO membership after Turkish MP committee gives approval
Newslooks- ANKARA, Turkey (AP)
The Turkish Parliament’s foreign affairs committee gave its consent to Sweden’s bid to join NATO on Tuesday, drawing the previously non-aligned Nordic country closer to membership in the Western military alliance.
Sweden’s accession protocol will now need to be approved in the general assembly for the last stage of the legislative process in Turkey. No date has been set.
Turkey, a NATO member, has delayed ratifying Sweden’s application for more than a year, accusing the country of being too lenient toward groups that Ankara regards as threats to its security, including Kurdish militants and members of a network that Ankara blames for a failed coup in 2016.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier this month threw up another obstacle by openly linking ratification of Sweden’s NATO membership to the U.S. Congress’ approval of a Turkish request to purchase 40 new F-16 fighter jets and kits to modernize Turkey’s existing fleet.
Erdogan also also called on Canada and other NATO allies to life arms embargoes imposed on Turkey.
The White House has backed the Turkish F-16 request but there is strong opposition in Congress to military sales to Turkey.
The Turkish parliament’s foreign affairs committee
had begun discussing Sweden’s membership in NATO last month. The meeting however, was adjourned after legislators from Erdogan’s ruling party submitted a motion for a postponement on grounds that some issues needed more clarification and that negotiations with Sweden had not “matured” enough.
On Tuesday, a majority of legislators in the committee voted in favor of Sweden’s application to join.
Sweden and Finland abandoned their traditional positions of military nonalignment to seek protection under NATO’s security umbrella, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Finland joined the alliance in April, becoming NATO’s 31st member, after Turkey’s parliament ratified the Nordic country’s bid.
NATO requires the unanimous approval of all existing members to expand, and Turkey and Hungary are the only countries that have been holding out. Hungary has stalled Sweden’s bid, alleging that Swedish politicians have told “blatant lies” about the condition of Hungary’s democracy.
The delays have frustrated other NATO allies who were swift to accept Sweden and Finland into the alliance.
