Turkey’s parliament voted to ratify Sweden’s application to join NATO on Jan. 23, 2024, after more than a year of delays. Turkey had been blocking Sweden’s bid over various issues, such as Sweden’s alleged support for Kurdish militants and its stance on the 2016 coup attempt in Turkey. Turkey also demanded some concessions from Sweden, such as the U.S. approving the sale of F-16 fighter jets and other equipment.
Sweden applied to join NATO in 2022, following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Sweden’s membership would strengthen NATO’s presence in the Baltic Sea region, which faces increasing pressure from Russia. Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson welcomed Turkey’s decision and said that Sweden was one step closer to becoming a full member of NATO.
However, Sweden’s NATO bid still needs to be approved by Hungary, which has not yet ratified it. Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban invited his Swedish counterpart to Budapest for talks, but Sweden’s Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said he saw no reason to negotiate with Hungary at this point. NATO’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg urged Hungary to complete its national ratification as soon as possible, saying that Sweden’s membership would make NATO stronger and safer.
