Turkey formally ratifies Sweden’s NATO membership, all eyes now on Hungary

Sweden has moved a step closer to joining NATO as Turkey has finalised the ratification of the previously nonaligned Nordic country to be a member of the military alliance. Now, Hungary remains the only NATO ally not to have ratified Sweden’s accession. Turkey’s move was welcomed by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Kristersson said: “With this, a key milestone has been reached in Sweden’s path towards NATO membership.”

“We welcome Turkish President Erdogan’s signature of the Articles of Ratification for Sweden’s NATO membership. We look forward to receiving the instruments in Washington and welcoming Sweden as NATO’s 32nd Ally. Sweden and the Alliance are stronger together,” Blinken said.

After over 20 months delay, the parliament of Turkey endorsed Sweden’s accession in a vote held Tuesday that frustrated other allies who argued Sweden’s entry would strengthen NATO. On Thursday, the parliament’s endorsement of Sweden’s membership and a presidential decree approving its accession protocol were published in Turkey’s official gazette, concluding the ratification process in the country. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Sweden and Finland abandoned its traditional position of military nonalignment to seek protection under NATO’s security umbrella. Finland joined the alliance in April, becoming NATO’s 31st member, after Turkey’s parliament ratified the Nordic country’s bid. But Sweden’s bid was not approved by Turkey as the country accused the former of being too lenient toward groups that Ankara regards as security threats. It sought a series of concessions from Stockholm, including moves to counter Kurdish militants. Turkey also had been angered by a series of demonstrations by supporters of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, in Sweden as well as Quran-burning protests that roiled Muslim countries. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan later also linked the ratification to Turkey’s desire to buy fighter jets from the United States. He has also called on Canada and other NATO allies to lift arms embargoes imposed on Turkey over human rights concerns. Ankara has requested 40 new F-16 fighter jets as well as kits to modernize its existing fleet. U.S. administration officials have said they expect relatively quick action on the F-16 sale after Turkey’s ratification. During the vote on Tuesday, the ruling party said Sweden’s tougher stance on Kurdish militants was key to winning approval. Senior ruling party legislator Fuat Oktay said Sweden has amended its anti-terrorism laws, curbed the PKK’s financial activities, convicted a terrorism suspect and extradited another, and lifted restrictions on arms sales to Turkey. Meanwhile, a vote on the protocols for Sweden’s NATO accession hasn’t yet appeared on the Hungarian parliament’s agenda, and barring a surprise emergency session, the matter is unlikely to go before lawmakers until at least late February. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán says his government is in favor of bringing Sweden into NATO, though he also has suggested that members of his governing Fidesz party remain unconvinced because of “blatant lies” from some Swedish politicians about the state of Hungary’s democracy. With inputs from AP