Turkey agrees to advance Sweden’s NATO membership, Stoltenberg says

Turkey on Monday agreed to move forward on allowing Sweden into NATO after delaying Stockholm’s accession to the defensive alliance for more than a year.

The breakthrough was announced by NATO Secretary-General Jans Stoltenberg, who said that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan agreed to forward Sweden’s accession protocol for ratification in the Turkish parliament.

“This is a historic step which makes all NATO allies stronger and safer,” Stoltenberg tweeted. 

The question of Sweden’s membership was among the biggest issues on the agenda at this week’s NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania.

The 31-member alliance is seeking to project unity and solidarity as one of Ukraine’s most important supporters as it pushes back Russia 16 months into the war.

Turkey was the last hurdle facing Sweden’s bid to join the alliance after Hungary last week signaled it would not stand in the way once Ankara approved.

The announcement of the agreement followed a meeting between Erdoğan and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, who were photographed shaking hands.

The Turkish president had held back on moving forward with Sweden’s accession to NATO as late as Monday morning, saying that Turkey would not move forward on admitting Stockholm to the alliance until assurances were made to admit Ankara to the European Union.

The U.S. had pushed back on linking Turkey’s efforts to join the EU with Sweden’s admittance to the alliance. President Biden and his top officials had engaged in intensive lobbying with Erdogan and Turkish officials in the lead up to the Vilnius Summit, which will run from July 11 and 12.

Erdoğan had long protested what he said was Sweden’s leniency toward the Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK), which is designated as a terrorist group by the U.S., EU and Turkey.

The agreement reached Monday includes an enforcement of a trilateral memorandum, first announced last year, between Finland, Turkey and Sweden, to jointly cooperate on combating terrorism.

As part of the reformation commitment to join the alliance, Sweden has also agreed to expand counter-terrorism operations against the PKK and resume the sale of arms to Turkey. 

Turkey and Sweden will also increase economic cooperation and trade, while Stockholm will support Ankara’s accession to the EU, according to a press release on the agreement.

Sweden first applied last year along with Finland after the Russian invasion of Ukraine sparked international concern about security. Finland was ratified to the alliance in March 2023.

Biden welcomed the agreement on Monday, saying that he stands “ready to work with President Erdoğan and Türkiye on enhancing defense and deterrence in the Euro-Atlantic area,” using the formal name for Turkey.

“I look forward to welcoming Prime Minister Kristersson and Sweden as our 32nd NATO Ally.  And I thank Secretary General Stoltenberg for his steadfast leadership.” 

President Biden touched down in Lithuania’s capital on Monday.

Brad Dress contributed reporting

Updated: 4:32 p.m.