Turkey's parliament, after more than a year of delays, voted on Tuesday to ratify Sweden's membership in NATO, a move that had strained ties with Western allies. The approval came following the public backing of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, marking Sweden as the 32nd member of the alliance.
The parliamentary vote, with 287 in favor, 55 against, and four abstentions, ratified Sweden's accession protocol. The ratification is expected to come into effect swiftly after its publication in the Official Gazette. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson of Sweden welcomed the vote, stating on social media, "Today we are one step closer to becoming a full member of NATO."
With Turkey's approval, Hungary is now the last holdout in the NATO accession process that Sweden and Finland initiated in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine nearly two years ago. Turkey had insisted on separating the applications of the Nordic countries, approving Finland earlier after some rounds of talks.
Finland's NATO membership in April increased the length of the alliance's border with Russia and strengthened the defenses of Baltic nations that joined NATO following the Soviet Union's collapse.
Sweden and Finland, traditionally neutral during the Cold War, adjusted their stance due to geopolitical shifts prompted by the conflict in Ukraine, seeking the nuclear protection provided by NATO.
While Hungary was expected to approve Sweden's NATO membership without significant resistance, strains between Stockholm and Budapest emerged. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban invited his Swedish counterpart to Budapest for discussions about the bid, but Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom indicated that he saw "no reason" to negotiate with Hungary on NATO candidacy "at this point."
Orban and Erdogan have maintained close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the Ukraine war, leading to concerns among NATO leaders about potential Russian efforts to create divisions within the alliance. NATO commanders framed the latest expansion as a demonstration of Western unity in response to Russian aggression.