Turkish parliament backs Sweden’s bid to join Nato
The IndependentFor free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Sweden requested to join the alliance after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 along with Finland but a diplomatic standoff began between Turkey and Western powers after Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan withheld support. Swedish foreign minister Tobias Billström said: “We are very much looking forward to becoming members of Nato.” “We do expect white smoke from Budapest as well.” open image in gallery Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg welcomed Turkey’s vote and urged Hungary to move quickly to allow Sweden’s Nato bid. Turkey, one of Nato’s 31 members, withheld Sweden’s accession for giving refuge to Kurdish militants that Ankara regards as security threats. Mr Orbán said on Tuesday that he invited Sweden’s prime minister to visit Hungary “to negotiate on Sweden’s Nato accession”.