Turkish President Submits Bill for Sweden’s NATO Membership

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Major Progress in Resolving NATO Accession as Turkey Takes Action

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has taken a significant step toward resolving the longstanding issue of Sweden’s NATO membership bid. After months of deliberation and discussions with Western countries, President Erdogan has submitted a bill related to Sweden’s NATO membership to the Turkish parliament.

The process, which had been a subject of deliberation for some time, took a decisive turn during the NATO summit in July. President Erdogan, during the summit, announced his intention to present the legislation to the Turkish parliament once it reconvened on October 1, after addressing various security concerns.

Despite this commitment, Turkish officials consistently emphasized the need for Stockholm to take concrete actions against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has been labeled a “terrorist organization” by Turkey, the European Union, and the United States.

In a recent statement released on social media, the presidency confirmed, “The Protocol on Sweden’s NATO Accession was signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on October 23, 2023, and referred to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey.”

Sweden’s Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson, welcomed this development, stating, “Now it remains for the parliament to deal with the question. We look forward to being a NATO member.”

Turkish President Erdogan has submitted the the protocol for Sweden's admission to NATO. It needs to be ratified by the Turkish Parliament, but that it is only a formality.

Sweden will become soon a NATO member state.#Turkey #Sweden #NATO pic.twitter.com/qeyJSXIqUM

— (((Tendar))) (@Tendar) October 23, 2023

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg expressed his anticipation of a “speedy vote” within the Turkish parliament. However, it’s important to note that there is no fixed timeframe for ratification. The bill will undergo deliberation in the parliament’s foreign affairs commission before reaching the general assembly for ratification.

Sweden’s journey to NATO membership began when, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, both Sweden and Finland abandoned their long-standing non-aligned status and sought NATO membership in May 2022. For new countries to join the transatlantic military alliance, the approval of all 31 existing NATO members is required.

While Finland’s request for membership received unanimous approval, Sweden’s bid was ratified by all members except Hungary and Turkey. President Erdogan had raised concerns about Stockholm’s stance on security threats, particularly regarding the PKK, and expressed displeasure over incidents such as Quran-burning protests in Sweden.

Turkey’s opposition to Sweden’s NATO membership bid was eventually withdrawn following signals from the U.S. administration that it would allow Turkey to purchase 40 new F-16 fighter jets and modernization kits. Additionally, Sweden offered assurances of support for Turkey’s aspiration to join the European Union.

As part of the agreement, NATO, as an organization, committed to addressing Turkey’s concerns related to “terrorism.” NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg announced the appointment of an assistant secretary-general to serve as a special coordinator in this regard.