Sweden closer to NATO membership after Turkish parliamentary committee vote

The Turkish parliament’s foreign affairs committee gave its consent to Sweden’s bid to join NATO on Tuesday, drawing the previously nonaligned Nordic country closer to membership in the Western military alliance. Sweden’s accession protocol will now need to be approved in the Turkish parliament’s general assembly for the last stage of the legislative process in Turkey. “Turkey’s approval of Sweden’s joining NATO is linked to the US Senate’s approval of Turkey buying 14 F-16 fighter bombers from America”, FRANCE 24’s Jasper Mortimer said, adding that the Senate’s approval is contingent on Turkey ratifying Sweden’s NATO membership.