Ankara clears way for Stockholm’s NATO bid, Budapest holds out

Turkish flagTurkey’s Grand National Assembly Speaker Numan Kurtulmus has signed Sweden’s NATO accession protocol and sent it for debate to the parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Turkish Hürriyet reported on Oct. 25.President Recep Tayyip Erdogan submitted the ratification bill for Sweden’s NATO membership to parliament on Oct. 23. The bill must now be approved by the foreign affairs committee before the parliament formally ratifies it and Erdogan signs it into law.Read also: Zelenskyy-Erdogan talk touches on Ukraine war, regional developments, bilateral cooperation The move clears the way for Sweden to join the alliance and turns the focus on Budapest. The Hungarian parliament refused a proposal to hold a vote on Sweden’s bid to join NATO on Oct. 24, further delaying the country’s inclusion in the military alliance, which has been pending for almost a year and a half. We’re bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! Read