The Turkish parliament is set to discuss Sweden’s NATO bid, still in limbo

The Turkish parliament’s foreign affairs committee was expected to resume talks on Tuesday on Sweden’s bid to join NATO, a process that Turkish officials have been moving slowly for months.

Still, there was no indication that Tuesday’s discussion would significantly advance the process, which Turkey has repeatedly delayed, saying Sweden, the United States and Canada all had to meet Turkish demands.

Both Sweden and Finland applied to join NATO last year after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a process that requires unanimous support from the alliance’s 31 member states. Turkey initially blocked them both, and although it has since relented to Finland, paving the way for that country’s accession to NATO in March, Turkey has continued to hold Sweden.

Multiple NATO leaders have said Sweden has done everything necessary to join, and Turkey’s repeated delays in approving Sweden’s accession have irritated other members of the alliance, who see Turkey using its position for domestic gain.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has not only argued that Sweden should take tougher action against dissidents his country considers terrorists, but has also linked approval of Sweden’s accession to disputes Turkey has with other NATO members.

From the United States, Turkey wants a $20 billion package of American-made F-16 fighter jets and upgrade kits for fighter jets it already has. The Biden administration has said it supports the sale, but members of Congress have objected, citing Turkey’s human rights record and its position on Sweden.

Mr Erdogan has also noted that the decision on Sweden lies with the Turkish parliament, not him, although his party and its political allies control a large number of votes that could easily pass the measure.

“If you have your Congress, I have my Parliament,” Mr Erdogan told Turkish journalists in comments published on December 8. “You say you will make a move on the F-16 issue after you go through Congress. I also have a parliament.”

He also suggested handling both cases at the same time.

“If we are two NATO allies, do what you have to do at the same time, in solidarity, and our Parliament will make the necessary decision,” he said.

Mr Erdogan has also tried to use Sweden’s NATO bid to put pressure on Canada, another NATO member, which has imposed export restrictions on optical equipment Turkey uses in its drones.

“On the issue of drone cameras that we wanted from them, Canada insists: Sweden, Sweden,” Erdogan said.

It remains unclear whether enough progress has been made in private talks between Turkey, Canada and the United States to convince Mr Erdogan to push his parliament to approve Sweden’s NATO bid.

For the measure to move forward, it would need to be approved by Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, followed by a full parliamentary vote. The committee has discussed the issue before. But there is no set timeline for any of the steps.

The only other NATO member yet to approve Sweden’s accession is Hungary, although Hungarian officials have said they will follow Turkey’s lead.

Safak Timur contributed reporting from Istanbul.