Turkey Approves Sweden's NATO Membership Bid, Overcoming Roadblocks

Turkey officially approved Sweden's NATO membership bid, bringing Sweden one step closer to ending over two centuries of neutrality. The bid passed in Turkey's Parliament and awaits approval from Hungary, the last NATO member country that must endorse the proposal. Prompted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Sweden decided to pursue NATO membership, with Finnish membership last April. Turkish President Erdogan had previously objected to both memberships but ultimately agreed in July. The conflicting comments from Hungarian leaders make the timeline for any potential vote unclear, with Hungary's next Parliamentary legislative session set to begin on Feb. 1.