After 20 months of postponement, the largest remaining obstacle to extending the Western military alliance has been cleared as Turkey’s parliament ratifies Sweden’s ambition to join NATO.

The application that Sweden initially submitted in 2022 was approved by a vote of 287 to 55 in Turkey’s general assembly, which is majority-controlled by President Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling alliance. When a country wants to join NATO, all the other members must provide their approval.

sweden

A Document:

It is anticipated that President Erdoğan of Turkey will sign the bill into law in the days following Parliament’s vote. In a swift response, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson of Sweden announced that his nation is moving closer to full NATO membership.

Jens Stoltenberg, secretary-general of NATO, expressed his delight with the outcome and predicted that Hungary would ratify Sweden quickly. With the exclusion of the Russian border and the enclave of Kaliningrad, the whole Baltic coastline would become NATO territory if Sweden joined.

If Russia were to launch an attack on the Baltic States, for instance, this would make their defenses easier. Ships could more readily convey troops and supplies via Sweden to Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and the Baltic States.