Turkish Parliament Approves Sweden's NATO Membership

Turkish MPs have ratified Sweden's bid for NATO membership, making its country's entry into the alliance even closer.

Sweden, along with Finland, has ended several decades of neutrality in 2022, and has decided to join NATO after Russia's war began in Ukraine.

As Finland has been admitted, Sweden has been hampered by the way from Turkey, having had some disagreement with Sweden over what it has considered Stockholm's support for Kurdish separatists, citing members of the Kurdistan People's Party (PKK).

Turkey, along with United States and European Union, considers it PKK as a terrorist organisation.

Turkish President Recep Tayip Erdogan is now expected to sign the Swedish legislation within days.

This means that Hungary will be the only NATO member to have to approve Sweden's bid, so the process can be finalised.

Swedish Prime Minister Wolf Christersson has said after voting in Turkey that his country is now a step closer to him NATO.

Secretary - General NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, has welcomed the news from Turkey, saying it expects Hungary to end its procedures as soon as possible.

Hungary has accused Sweden of having hostile access.

In March last year, Hungarian Government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs has accused officials in Sweden of staying on the throne of moral superiority.

This is because Stockholm has earlier accused the Hungarian government of slipping against EU democratic principles.

However, there has been progress in recent days.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said on Tuesday he has invited his Swedish counterpart to Budapest to negotiate Sweden's NATO membership.