Turkiye has moved a step closer to greenlighting Sweden’s NATO membership, with the country’s Foreign Affairs Committee officially endorsing the bid.
The development, which marks a critical juncture on Sweden's road to joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, paves the way for a final decision by the Turkish Parliament potentially happening this week.
The approval process has involved significant diplomatic negotiations, including a recent discussion between Biden and Erdogan, which also touched upon Turkiye's potential acquisition of F-16 fighter jets from the US. The White House has linked Sweden's NATO membership to this sale.
Sweden's bid faced challenges due to its stance on support for Kurdish independence, which Turkiye views as linked to terrorism. However, Sweden has made constitutional and legal amendments to address Turkiye's concerns.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly warned that NATO's expansion does not contribute to international peace and security, calling the policy a "relic of the Cold War."
The Russian president also stressed that the US was doing its best to thwart Moscow's rapprochement with Europe.
Vladimir Putin recently pointed out that NATO expansion is based on false promises made to the late Soviet leaders.
"As we know, Finland has been dragged into NATO, Sweden's accession is planned, de facto this means another stage of the alliance coming closer to our borders. We all know very well that in 1991 [NATO members] promised Gorbachev: 'Not an inch to the east'. So these are the partners we've got. They lie without shame at every step," Putin stated.