The head of NATO says Turkey will vote ASAP on Sweden’s bid to join NATO
urkish President Tayyip Erdogan (left) and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson shake hands in front of NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg prior to their meeting, on the eve of a NATO summit, in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Monday. (Yves Herman/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says Turkey’s leader has agreed to have Turkish parliament vote on Sweden’s bid to join the defense alliance.
The announcement came via a tweet after Stoltenberg met with both Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson in Vilnius, Lithuania, on the eve of the NATO summit there.
“Glad to announce that after the meeting I hosted with @RTErdogan & @SwedishPM, President Erdogan has agreed to forward #Sweden’s accession protocol to the Grand National Assembly ASAP & ensure ratification. This is an historic step which makes all #NATO Allies stronger & safer,” Stoltenberg said on Twitter, including a photo of the three.
Turkey has held up Sweden’s NATO membership since last year.
But in a surprise move Monday, Erdogan said Turkey could approve Sweden’s bid if European countries “open the way” for Turkey to join the European Union.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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