NATO chief to Turkey: it’s time to let Sweden join

“Sweden has fulfilled what it promised, and now it’s time for Turkey to give its final approval.” [Švedijos] for the accession process,” said Mr. Stoltenberg.

Turkey and Hungary are the only NATO members that have not yet ratified Sweden’s application to join the Alliance. It has been a year and a half since she applied.

Turkey has so far blocked Sweden’s ratification of NATO membership, accusing the country of being too lenient with groups Ankara sees as threats to its security, including Kurdish fighters and members of a network Ankara blames for a failed 2016 coup.

Turkey is also angered by the banned demonstrations by supporters of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Sweden and the Koran-burning protests that have shocked Muslim countries.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan withdrew his opposition to Sweden’s candidacy at the NATO summit in Vilnius in July and sent the accession protocol to parliament for ratification last month.

Ankara reversed its stance after Stockholm pledged to work more closely with Turkey on counter-terrorism and support Turkey’s bid to revive its EU membership bid. In addition, NATO agreed to establish a special counter-terrorism coordinator institution.

Expanding NATO requires unanimous approval from all existing members, and Turkey and Hungary are the only countries that refuse to do so. Hungary blocked Sweden’s application, arguing that Swedish politicians had lied about the state of Hungary’s democracy.

Other NATO allies had hoped to welcome Sweden as the alliance’s newest member at a meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels this week.

The Foreign Affairs Committee of the Turkish Parliament continues discussions on this issue. Once the committee gives the green light to Sweden’s accession protocol, the final step will have to be taken by the Turkish parliament.

“I would like the ratification process to go faster, it’s no secret,” said Mr. Stoltenberg. “I’d like them to end it, and that’s what I’ve communicated many times.”

Sweden and Finland abandoned their traditional positions of military non-alignment and sought protection under NATO’s security umbrella when Russia invaded Ukraine last year. Finland joined the Alliance in April, becoming NATO’s 31st member.