Turkey greenlights Sweden's NATO bid, taking one step closer to curbing Russian aggression

A vote was held to accept Sweden's application during a plenary session in parliament in Ankara on Tuesday. The document is now being returned to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for final signatures before it's forwarded to the US State Department in Washington.

This development brings Sweden a step closer to achieving its goal of becoming the 32nd NATO member, a considerable feat nearly a year and eight months after it expressed its official intent to join.

Sweden, in alignment with neighboring country Finland, acknowledged in May 2022 that joining NATO was the optimal plan to deter anticipated aggression from Russia following the invasion of Ukraine. Finland had already joined NATO in April.

The inclusion of Sweden promises to solidify NATO's strength, broaden its northern presence, and enhance its capability to defend its eastern wing. It is worth noting that both Sweden and Finland chose to abstain from military alliances in the past until the militaristic maneuvers by Russian President Vladimir Putin influenced their decision to reconsider.