Sweden’s NATO Membership Moves Forward With Turkey’s Approval

• Hashim Sheikh
• . January 24, 2024
• . Update: January 24, 2024 1:20 pm
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Turkey’s parliament has finally said yes to Sweden joining NATO. This decision is a big step in making NATO bigger, after waiting for 20 months. Now, only Hungary needs to agree for Sweden to become a part of NATO.

Sweden and Finland wanted to join NATO in 2022 after Russia attacked Ukraine. But Turkey had some issues with this. They were worried about groups in Sweden and Finland that Turkey thinks are dangerous. Turkey agreed to let Finland join in April last year but made Sweden wait longer.

Turkey’s decision was important because every NATO country has to agree when a new country wants to join. Fuat Oktay, a big name in Turkey’s politics, said this move shows NATO is getting stronger against threats. The U.S. Ambassador, Jeff Flake, was also happy about Turkey’s decision.

Sweden’s Foreign Minister, Tobias Billstrom, is now waiting for Turkey’s President Erdogan to sign the official papers. After this, Hungary is the only country left to say yes. 

Hungary’s leader, Viktor Orban, is friendly with Russia’s President Putin, and Hungary’s parliament will talk about this when they meet again in mid-February.

NATO’s leader, Jens Stoltenberg, is happy with Turkey’s decision and hopes Hungary will also agree soon. Both Turkey and Hungary have different views on Russia compared to other NATO countries. 

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Even though Turkey doesn’t support Russia’s attack on Ukraine, they don’t agree with the sanctions against Russia.

Sweden joining NATO is a big change from its usual stand of not taking sides. It will make NATO stronger in the Baltic Sea area, near Russia. Turkey’s delay in agreeing was a way to get some things it wanted. 

Turkey wanted Sweden to be tougher on the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which Turkey and some other countries see as a terrorist group. Sweden made new laws against terrorism and, along with some other countries, agreed to sell arms to Turkey.

Erdogan had linked Sweden joining NATO to the U.S. selling F-16 fighter jets to Turkey. The U.S. supports this deal, but it’s not confirmed when the U.S. Congress will approve it.