Erdoğan Agrees Sweden’s NATO Membership

According to Jens Stoltenberg, the Secretary-General of the NATO military alliance, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey has expressed support for Sweden's bid to join NATO. Stoltenberg stated that Erdogan will submit Sweden's application to the Turkish parliament and ensure its ratification.

Earlier, Turkey had delayed the ratification process, citing concerns about Sweden hosting Kurdish militants. However, this obstacle seems to have been resolved, and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson expressed his satisfaction, calling it a positive day for Sweden.

As a NATO member with veto power, Turkey holds the ability to block any new country from joining the alliance. Stoltenberg made the announcement after a meeting between Erdogan and Kristersson in Vilnius, which took place prior to a NATO summit in the Lithuanian capital.

Stoltenberg described Erdogan's agreement to forward Sweden's accession protocol to the Turkish parliament as a significant step, although he cautioned that an exact date for Sweden's NATO membership could not be determined as it depends on the parliamentary process in Turkey.