Turkish President Erdogan Sends Sweden’s NATO Accession Protocol to Parliament
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has signed the protocol regarding Sweden’s NATO accession, handing it over to the Turkish parliament on Monday. The ratification process in the Turkish parliament, however, still lacks a clear timetable. Hungary also needs to ratify Sweden’s protocol.
Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) announced at a press conference on Tuesday that while he cannot set any specific dates, he has been informed by the Hungarian Prime Minister on multiple occasions that the country will not delay Sweden’s application. The press conference took place during NATO’s industrial forum in Sweden, coinciding with the ongoing discussion about Sweden’s NATO membership.
Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General, stressed the importance of Sweden’s defense industry in NATO. He stated that in the current technological race, securing a lead is crucial, and Sweden’s NATO membership would facilitate NATO’s ability to maintain this lead. Stoltenberg highlighted Sweden’s strong and technologically advanced defense industry, which includes aviation, ammunition, and armored vehicles. Although the Swedish defense industry already collaborates with NATO, membership would further integrate it.
Stoltenberg revealed that he spoke with President Erdogan on Saturday and reminded him that Sweden had fulfilled its obligations. He expressed satisfaction that the president is advancing the matter and also confirmed Erdogan’s commitment to working towards ratification in parliament. This commitment was made during the NATO summit in Vilnius last summer.
It should be noted that Hungary is the second country to delay the ratification process. All other NATO member countries have already ratified Sweden’s application, including Finland, which became a NATO member on the same day it confirmed Sweden’s application.
The Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee of Finland visited the Swedish Riksdag last week. According to sources, positive signals were heard during the visit that ratification could occur in the near future. Swedish government sources also provided the same information to the newspaper Expressen last Saturday.
Swedish Prime Minister’s official Twitter account (@SwedishPM) expressed optimism upon hearing that President Erdogan has submitted the ratification documents to the Turkish Parliament. The tweet stated, “Glad to hear that Turkish President Erdogan has now handed over the ratification documents to the Turkish Parliament. Now it remains for Parliament to deal with the issue. We look forward to becoming a member of NATO.” The tweet was published on October 23, 2023.
As Sweden’s NATO accession awaits the completion of the ratification process, the international community eagerly watches the ongoing developments. The integration of Sweden’s defense industry and its implications for NATO’s technological advantage are of paramount importance in an ever-evolving global security landscape.