Sweden is a step closer to NATO. Erdogan made a move
7:36 AM EDT, October 24, 2023
On Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent a ratification request to the parliament concerning Sweden's accession to NATO - the Turkish president's press service reported.
- The protocol on Sweden's admission to NATO was signed on October 23, 2023, by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and sent to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (a unicameral parliament - ed.) - announcing the press release from the presidential services.
No additional information was provided regarding a possible voting date for this motion. Last week, the Turkish website Duvar reported that Ankara is ready to hold off on formally approving Sweden's accession to NATO this month until it receives a signal of US support for its request to purchase F-16 planes.
The blockade lasted over a year
Erdogan, who committed to sending a ratification request to the parliament during the NATO summit in July in Vilnius, spoke on the phone with the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Jens Stoltenberg, on Sunday.
Turkey had previously blocked the possibility of Sweden joining NATO, emphasizing that the authorities in Stockholm should do more in the fight against Kurdish fighters in their country and other groups that Ankara considers a threat to its national security.
Turkey is the last NATO member, alongside Hungary, that has not ratified Sweden's admission to the Alliance. The consent of all allies is needed for accession.
