Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has taken a significant step in the ongoing diplomatic standoff by officially submitting Sweden’s application for NATO membership to the Turkish parliament. This move is expected to bring the two countries closer to resolving the 17-month-long dispute.
Sweden’s NATO membership application had been pending for some time. While most NATO member countries had ratified the application, Turkey and Hungary remained the only two nations yet to do so. The membership request from Sweden emerged after the nation departed from its long-standing policy of non-alignment. This decision was influenced by Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine.
The resolution of this standoff became more pressing following Turkey’s agreement at a NATO summit in Vilnius in July. As a result of the growing pressure from its NATO partners, Turkey agreed to submit Sweden’s NATO membership ratification to its parliament.
The Turkish presidential office released a statement confirming the submission. The statement noted that the NATO membership protocol for Sweden was signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on October 23, 2023, and has now been sent to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. This signifies a significant step forward in Sweden’s NATO membership process.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson responded to the announcement positively, calling it “encouraging news.” He expressed his hope that the Turkish parliament would promptly address the issue, indicating Sweden’s eagerness to become a NATO member.
It is important to note that while Sweden’s neighboring country, Finland, applied for NATO membership at the same time, it was granted membership in April. The resolution of Sweden’s application has been awaited, and this move by Turkey is seen as a significant step toward its accession to the NATO alliance.
The diplomatic standoff between Turkey and Sweden included concerns over issues such as Koran burnings during protests in Sweden and the alleged harboring of outlawed Kurdish militants. These matters have caused tension between the two countries, and a resolution to Sweden’s NATO membership could potentially pave the way for addressing these concerns.