BRUSSELS: NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg emphasized the need for Turkey to swiftly approve Sweden’s pending bid for NATO membership.
In a press statement on Monday, Stoltenberg urged Turkey to finalize the accession process “as soon as possible,” stating that Sweden has fulfilled its commitments and met the necessary criteria.
Despite Sweden’s application for NATO membership over 18 months ago, only Turkey and Hungary among NATO members have yet to ratify the country’s inclusion into the alliance. The Turkish parliament commenced discussions on Sweden’s bid earlier this month, following President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s initiation of the process after a deal was struck at a NATO summit in July.
Sweden’s NATO Membership Bid
Anticipating a formal welcome for Sweden into NATO at a meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels this week, Stoltenberg expressed disappointment with the ongoing committee-level deliberations in the Turkish parliament. While acknowledging the parliamentary procedures, he stressed the importance of expediting the ratification process.
“I would have liked to see more speed in the ratification process; that is no secret,” remarked Stoltenberg. “I would like them to finalize that, and that is exactly what I have communicated many times.”
The delay in approving Sweden’s NATO membership has raised concerns among NATO allies, who had anticipated a smoother and quicker process.
