Turkey has officially ratified Sweden’s membership in NATO, marking a significant step towards the Nordic nation’s accession to the military alliance. This development leaves Hungary as the sole NATO ally yet to ratify Sweden’s entry.
The ratification of Sweden’s accession by Turkey’s parliament, following a vote held on Tuesday, comes after more than a year and a half of delays that had caused frustration among other NATO allies supportive of Sweden’s inclusion, citing its potential to strengthen the alliance.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson expressed his appreciation for Turkey’s decision, stating on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, “With this, a key milestone has been reached in Sweden’s path towards NATO membership.”
The endorsement of Sweden’s NATO membership by Turkey’s parliament and the subsequent presidential decree, approving the accession protocol, were officially published in Turkey’s official gazette on Thursday. This finalizes the ratification process within the country.
“President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan signed the Presidential Decree on Sweden’s Accession to North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), approving the promulgation of the law on the ratification of Sweden’s membership adopted by the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye,” the statement reads.
