Rosalind Evans
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has submitted a protocol to Turkey’s parliament to ratify Sweden’s admission into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), marking a pivotal moment in Sweden’s journey towards becoming a member of the military alliance. This move comes after Erdogan’s previous hesitation due to concerns over Sweden’s stance on Kurdish militants and a series of Quran-burning protests in the Nordic country.
President Erdogan’s office confirmed on Monday that he had signed the protocol on Sweden’s NATO accession, which has now been submitted to the Turkish Grand National Assembly. However, it remains uncertain when the parliament will bring Sweden’s membership to the floor for a vote. “Glad to hear that Turkish President Erdoğan has now handed over the ratification documents to the Turkish Parliament,” said Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “Now it remains for Parliament to deal with the issue.
Sweden’s pursuit of NATO membership, along with its neighbour Finland, marks a significant shift from their decades-long stance of military nonalignment. The decision was fueled by security concerns following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Notably, Finland’s membership was approved in April after Turkey lifted its objections, citing Helsinki’s efforts to address Ankara’s security concerns.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed Erdogan’s move, stating, “I look forward to a speedy vote to ratify and welcome Sweden as a full NATO ally very soon. As I told President Erdogan when we spoke on the weekend, this will strengthen the whole Alliance and make it more secure.” It is important to note that Turkey’s decision to move forward with the ratification process followed a series of diplomatic developments, including the U.S. administration’s approval for Turkey to purchase 40 new F-16 fighter jets and modernization kits. Additionally, Sweden assured Turkey that it would support its bid to join the European Union.
The submission of the protocol for Sweden’s NATO membership to Turkey’s parliament represents a significant step forward in solidifying the Nordic country’s place in the military alliance. While there are still hurdles to overcome, including the approval from Hungary, the progress made by diplomatic efforts on all fronts highlights the importance of collaboration and compromise in addressing complex international security issues.
