On Tuesday, the Turkish parliament officially approved Sweden's application to join NATO. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is expected to sign off on Sweden's accession, bringing the country one step closer to becoming a full member of the 31-nation military alliance. Following the 20 months of negotiations, Turkey's decision leaves Hungary as the last remaining NATO member yet to proceed with Sweden's bid to join the alliance. Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson expressed his enthusiasm for the ratification, stating, "Today we are one step closer to becoming a full member of NATO."
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán made a move to engage in negotiations with Kristersson earlier on Tuesday, inviting him to Budapest to discuss Sweden's NATO bid. However, this proposal was promptly rejected by Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström.
Sweden first applied to join NATO in May 2022, after Russia's invasion of Ukraine prompted the country to abandon its traditional stance of neutrality. Despite repeated assurances from Hungarian officials that Budapest would not be the last to vote on Sweden's bid, concerns arose as focus shifted from Orbán to Erdoğan in recent months. This unexpected turn has raised questions about the dynamics between the European Union members and the outsider Turkey in the context of the NATO expansion.
The delay in Hungary's decision regarding Sweden's NATO application has raised genuine concerns among frontline countries eager to see Sweden, with its formidable military and strategic location on the Baltic Sea, become a part of the alliance. Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs expressed his hopes, stating, "This will strengthen the whole Alliance and regional security. I hope Hungary will do the same soon and we will finally have the 32nd member of NATO."
Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas also weighed in, saying, "Hope that the last ratification follows quickly now." These statements reflect the eagerness of neighboring countries to see Sweden's NATO membership move forward, underscoring the significance of this development for regional security and stability.
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