Turkey Supports Sweden's NATO Membership Bid, Clearing Obstacles

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has agreed to forward Sweden's bid to join NATO to parliament, ending months of uncertainty and strain within the alliance. While Finland's NATO membership was approved in April, Turkey and Hungary had yet to clear Sweden's bid. Erdogan had held out, demanding the implementation of a deal reached last year and accusing Sweden of not doing enough against groups Turkey considers terrorists. However, after talks with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Erdogan agreed to push for ratification in parliament. This removes the last hurdle for Sweden's accession to NATO, which requires approval from all members.