Sweden's Path to NATO: Challenges, Approvals, and Diplomatic Reassurances
Sweden, along with Finland, submitted a formal NATO application in May 2022. While Finland swiftly became an official member in April 2023, Sweden faced delays due to concerns raised by NATO members Hungary and Turkey.
Turkey's President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, initially agreed to Sweden's NATO entry during a summit in July. However, the process awaits approval from the Turkish Parliament. The delay stems from Turkey's concerns about Sweden allegedly harbouring militants from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
Similarly, Hungary expressed reservations based on earlier comments from Sweden criticizing Hungary's democratic values. Despite these hurdles, during the NATO summit, Erdogan assured Sweden's acceptance into the alliance.
Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Tobias Billström, stated that discussions with Turkey's foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, indicated an expectation of parliamentary ratification in the coming weeks. While acknowledging Sweden's cautious optimism, no new conditions were imposed during these talks.
Addressing Hungary's stance, Billström emphasized his conversation with Hungary's foreign minister, Péter Szijjártó, who assured that Budapest would not be the last to ratify Sweden's NATO accession. Billström anticipates positive outcomes simultaneously from Ankara and Budapest, stating, "We expect white smoke from Budapest the moment there's white smoke from Ankara."
