Turkey also links the approval of Sweden’s NATO application with the lifting of the Canadian arms embargo

RT Erdogan also said that Canada and other NATO allies must lift the arms embargo on Turkey.

“The positive developments of the United States on the F-16 issue and the knowledge that Canada is keeping its promises will help our parliament make the right decision on Sweden’s membership,” RT Erdogan said. “Everything is connected.”

He stated this while returning from a visit to Hungary.

Hungary and Turkey are the only two NATO members that have not yet approved Sweden’s bid to join the world’s most powerful defense alliance.

RT Erdogan’s comments were published by the state-run Anadolu Agency.

He told reporters that Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, in discussions with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken this week, urged the Turkish parliament and Congress to approve both issues at the same time.

“If we act at the same time, we will have a chance to pass it much easier in the parliament,” RT Erdogan echoed H. Fidan’s words to A. Blinken.

RT Erdogan submitted Sweden’s accession protocol to parliament in October, but the ratification process stalled.

The Turkish leader later said that parliament would only be able to ratify Sweden’s membership if the US Congress approves Turkey’s request to purchase dozens of F-16 fighter jets and their spare parts needed to modernize the force.

Turkey has been stalling the ratification of Sweden’s membership in the European Union for more than a year. Ankara accuses the country of not taking Turkey’s security concerns seriously enough. Among them is the fight against Kurdish fighters and other groups that Ankara sees as a security threat.

The delay in ratifying Sweden’s membership has angered other NATO allies, who quickly approved Sweden and Finland’s membership after they ended decades of military non-alignment with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

Hungary has said it will not be the last to approve accession, although the ruling Fidesz party, which has a constitutional majority in Hungary’s parliament, has so far refused to hold a vote on the issue.