Turkey Supports Sweden's NATO Membership, Paving Way to Stockholm's Accession

(Photo : Filip Singer - Pool/Getty Images)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan finally supports Sweden's membership application to NATO, ending a year-long stalemate following last-ditch negotiations on Monday.

The Turkish government has finally supported Sweden's NATO membership application, paving the way for Stockholm's accession into the military alliance after more than a year of stalemating.

NATO Secretary-General Jen Stoltenberg said that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan would forward Sweden's application to the parliament in Ankara, adding that he would ensure the country's ratification.

Turkey Finally Supports Sweden's NATO Bid

Turkey had previously blocked Stockholm's accession to NATO, claiming it harbored Kurdish militants. Being a member of the military alliance, Turkey's vote was necessary to allow Sweden to join the group, which prompted several negotiations to address the issue.

United States President Joe Biden quickly reacted to the news by welcoming Erdogan's commitment to ensuring Sweden's swift ratification. A statement by the White House noted that the Democratic leader was ready to work with Erdogan and his government about bolstering defense and deterrence in the Euro-Atlantic area, as per BBC.

On the other hand, German Foreign Minister Allan Baerbock posted on Twitter, saying that the member countries are safer together now that NATO has 32 members. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak added that Sweden joining the military alliance would make it safer for all parties involved.

The NATO chief announced the development of the agreement on Monday following last-ditch negotiations between the Turkish and Swedish leaders held in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius. Stoltenberg said it was a "historic step" but added that they could not give a "clear date" for when Stockholm formally joins the military alliance because it relies on the Turkish parliament.

Sweden and Finland, two countries with long histories of military neutrality, broke that stance following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. They announced their application to join NATO in May last year, which led to Helsinki getting accepted earlier in April.

NATO released a press statement that noted that Turkey's agreement to support Sweden's membership application was based on new commitments on terrorism and economic cooperation. These include the creation of a special coordinator for counter-terrorism within the military alliance, according to ABC News.

Ending a Year-Long Stalemate

While Hungary was also blocking Sweden's membership application for NATO, the latter clarified that if Turkey decided to back Stockholm's bid, it would no longer block the process.

Prior to the development, Biden pushed for Sweden's accession to NATO during a meeting with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson in the Oval Office last week. He said the US fully supported Stockholm's application, adding that it would only strengthen the alliance.

In a statement, Stoltenberg said he welcomed Erdogan, clarifying that he would cooperate and work with parliament to finalize Sweden's NATO membership. Turkey's change of stance comes after it also accused Stockholm officials of complicity in Islamophobic demonstrations, such as when a man burned a copy of the holy Quran.

The NATO chief noted that the situation was only possible thanks to Sweden amending its Constitution, changing its law, significantly expanding its counter-terrorism cooperation against the PKK, and resuming arms export to Turkey, said CNN.