Turkish President Erdogan signs Sweden's NATO accession protocol, sends to parliament

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday signed Sweden's NATO accession protocol and submitted it to parliament, according to Türkiye’s Communications Directorate.

The Swedish Prime Ministry welcomed Türkiye's announcement.

"Parliamentary procedures will now commence. We look forward to becoming a member of NATO," the ministry said on X.

US State Department also welcomed Turkish President Erdogan's move to sign Sweden's NATO accession protocol and forward it to the Turkish parliament.

"We welcome that step," Spokesman Matthew Miller told a press briefing.

Noting that the US has been calling for the ratification of Sweden’s accession for some time, Miller said: "We look forward to that bill being considered in the Turkish parliament and passed as soon as possible."

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg also welcomed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s signing of Sweden’s NATO accession protocol.

"I welcome President Erdogan's signing of Sweden's accession protocol and its submission to the Assembly," Stoltenberg said.

"I look forward to a swift vote of approval and to welcoming Sweden as a full NATO ally very soon. As I mentioned in my recent meeting with President Erdogan over the weekend, this development will make the entire Alliance stronger and more secure," he added.

Stoltenberg will visit Sweden on Monday and meet with Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.

Finland and Sweden applied for NATO membership soon after Russia launched its offensive against Ukraine in February 2022.

Türkiye previously approved Finland's membership to NATO but had said it was waiting for Sweden to abide by a trilateral memorandum signed in June 2022 in Madrid to address Ankara's security concerns.