Turkish parliament debates Sweden's NATO accession

The Turkish Parliament on December 26th is expected to resume the debate on the adoption of Sweden's NATO membership application -- the topic that has been complicated more after President Recep Tayip Erdogan linked the issue to Ankara's call for F-16 aircraft from the United States.

Sweden and Finland gave up military neutrality and demanded that they join NATO's western alliance after Russia invaded Ukraine last year.

Finland was admitted to NATO in April, but that 19 months of Sweden still awaits Turkey and Hungary's approval, as part of the alliance requires approval of 31 member states.

In November, the Turkish Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee failed to reach reconciliation for the tender agreement, and the issue was carried out for discussion again in the afternoon of December 26th.

In July, Erdogan gave up objections to Sweden's NATO membership, as Stockholm oppressed Kurdish groups Ankara names terrorist groups.

“We see there is a change of policy in Sweden. We see decisions being made in court”, Fuat Oktai, lawmakers from Erdogan's ruling party, The AKP, which is part of the Turkish Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee.

After the issue is approved by the Committee for Foreign Affairs, the vote is carried to Parliament, where Erdogan's alliance has the majority.

NATO allies have pressured Turkey to ratify Sweden's NATO accession, while France has said that the credibility of the “alliance is in question”.