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Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has agreed to support Sweden’s membership in NATO, according to the military alliance. This paves the way for Sweden to join the US-led bloc after facing opposition from Ankara for over a year.
Erdoğan decided to lift his veto after a last-minute meeting with the leaders of Sweden and NATO on Monday evening. He made his support for Stockholm’s accession conditional on Turkey’s stalling EU bid.
The lifting of Erdoğan’s block, announced by NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, came after Stockholm made fresh anti-terrorism commitments. It now allows Turkey’s parliament to approve Sweden’s entry into the US-led military alliance, a crucial step in strengthening defense in Eastern Europe in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Stoltenberg stated, “Turkey’s president has agreed to forward the accession protocol for Sweden to join NATO to the Grand National Assembly as soon as possible and work closely with the assembly to ensure ratification.” However, when asked about the timeline for Sweden’s membership, Stoltenberg refrained from providing details.
Turkey’s parliament, controlled by a coalition led by Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party, is expected to pass the measure now that they have the president’s approval. Prior to this agreement, Erdoğan had insisted that Turkey would only approve Sweden’s accession if the EU opened the door for Turkey to join. Stoltenberg clarified that Sweden had agreed to actively support efforts to revitalize Turkey’s EU accession process.
Securing Turkey’s support for Sweden’s NATO membership resolves a major issue for the alliance, as it seeks to maintain unity. This comes at a time when there is disagreement among NATO countries, particularly the US and Germany, over expediting Ukraine’s bid for membership.
Beyond Turkey and Sweden, the only other holdout on Sweden’s NATO membership is Hungary, which analysts believe will likely follow Ankara’s lead.
Turkey’s President Erdoğan previously demanded additional measures, including restrictions on public demonstrations by supporters of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), classified as a terrorist organization by the EU, US, UK, and Turkey itself.
As part of the agreement, Turkey and Sweden have established a new bilateral security compact. Stockholm will present a roadmap for their continued fight against terrorism, and NATO plans to intensify its anti-terrorism campaign with the appointment of a special coordinator.
US President Joe Biden welcomed the deal and expressed readiness to work with President Erdoğan and Turkey in enhancing defense and deterrence in the Euro-Atlantic area.
NATO requires approval from all existing members for new applicants. Hungary is the only other country opposing Sweden’s NATO membership, but it is anticipated that they will follow Turkey’s lead.
Additional reporting by Funja Güler in Ankara
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