Turkey Might Approve Sweden's NATO Membership by Year's End If There is No Excesses, Source Says

© AP Photo / Vadim GhirdaA Romanian serviceman furls the NATO flag. File photo
A Romanian serviceman furls the NATO flag. File photo - Sputnik Africa, 1920, 15.11.2023
Subscribe
ANKARA (Sputnik) - The process of ratification of Sweden's application to join NATO might be completed by the end of 2023 if there are no excesses that could affect the situation, a source in Turkey's Grand National Assembly, the country's parliament, has told Sputnik.
On March 22 the Riksdag, Swedish parliament, approved Sweden’s accession to NATO. Now, it's NATO's turn to review and possibly rubber-stamp the country's application.
"On Thursday, the [Turkish] parliament's foreign affairs commission will start considering Sweden's application. There is a positive environment now, and we see a constructive approach on the part of Stockholm. If there are no excesses that could affect the situation, there is hope to finalize the process by the end of the year," the source said.
In late October, Turkish Parliament speaker Numan Kurtulmus signed a bill ratifying Sweden's NATO bid and submitted it to a parliamentary commission for review. The Turkish presidency later told Sputnik that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had proposed that the country's parliament ratify the protocol on Sweden's accession to NATO.
russia finland border cover - Sputnik Africa, 1920, 04.04.2023
Infographic
Russia's Border With NATO Countries Grows After Finland Joins Alliance
Sweden, along with Finland, submitted its NATO application in May 2022, several months after Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine. Finland became a member of the alliance in April 2023. Sweden's application is still pending ratification by Turkey and Hungary.
Newsfeed
0