Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan formally ratified Sweden’s NATO membership application on Thursday, the 25th of January, following its approval by the Turkish Parliament on Tuesday. This ends months of stalling and leaves Hungary as the only remaining obstacle to Sweden’s NATO membership, reports Reuters.
On X, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson had welcomed Turkey’s ratification of Sweden’s NATO membership application as a decisive milestone, while Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom added that
Sweden stands on the brink of NATO membership,
with only Hungary yet to ratify the application.
President Erdogan’s decision to publish the law on Sweden’s accession to NATO and the signing of the presidential decree was announced by the Presidency’s Communications Directorate.
The delay in Sweden’s NATO ratification allowed Ankara to make compromises. With ratification, Turkey hopes that the
US Congress will approve the sale of F-16 fighter jets for 20 billion US dollars.
The day before, President Biden had sent a letter to key leaders on Capitol Hill with the intention of starting the formal notification process once Ankara concludes the Swedish application.
The US Ambassador to Turkey confirmed to Reuters that the State Department will immediately notify Congress upon receiving the instrument of ratification. Under NATO rules, the final instrument of accession – the instrument of ratification – must be sent to Washington.
Also read: After 20 month delay Turkey approves Sweden’s NATO membership bid
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