Turkish MPs set to restart talks on Sweden’s NATO application

Опубликовано: Saturday, 23 December 2023 10:23

A parliamentary committee will discuss ratification next week after a call between Erdoğan and Biden.

The Turkish parliament’s foreign affairs committee will once again take up the issue of Sweden’s NATO accession Tuesday, according to a parliamentary statement cited in media reports.

Turkey is one of two NATO countries, along with Hungary, that has yet to approve Sweden’s bid to join the military alliance following Russia’s full-scale assault on Ukraine.

Turkey has complained that Stockholm is not doing enough to curb what it calls Kurdish terrorists in Sweden.

The committee’s approval of Sweden’s application would clear the way for a full parliament vote on ratification, where Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s ruling alliance commands a majority. This is necessary before Erdoğan can sign it into law.

The move follows a call between the Turkish leader and Joe Biden, during which the White said the U.S. president raised the issue of Sweden’s NATO application.

Erdoğan later said Biden linked the issue to congressional approval for the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey. U.S. and Turkish officials met in Washington this week to discuss defense cooperation.

The other key holdout is Hungary, where Prime Minister Viktor Orbán reiterated last week that there was no “great willingness” from lawmakers to approve Sweden’s bid.