TurkishlawmakersattendavoteonSweden'sNATObidattheGrandNationalAssemblyinAnkara,Trkiye,onJan.23,2024.TurkishlawmakersonTuesdayapprovedalong-delayedbillonSweden'sbidtobecomethe32ndmemberofNATO.(PhotobyMustafaKaya/Xinhua)ANKARA,Jan.23(Xinhua)--TurkishlawmakersonTuesdayapprovedalong-delayedbillonSweden'sbidtobecomethe32ndmemberofNATO.TheTurkishparliamentvotedonthebillafteradebateintheGrandNationalAssembly.Atotalof346lawmakersparticipatedinthevoting,with287votesinfavor,55against,andfourabstentions.TurkishPresidentRecepTayyipErdoganisexpectedtosignthebillintolawwithinafewdays.Turkishparliament'sratificationwaswelcomedbySwedishPrimeMinisterUlfKristersson."TodayweareonestepclosertobecomingafullmemberofNATO,"hewroteonsocialmediaplatformX,formerlyknownasTwitter.WithTrkiye'sratification,HungaryremainstheonlyNATOmembercountrythathasn'tapprovedSweden'sapplicationtojointhemilitaryalliance.SwedenandFinlandappliedtojoinNATOafterRussialauncheditsmilitarycampaigninUkrainein2022.TheiraccessionrequirestheunanimousapprovalofallmembersofNATO.TrkiyeapprovedFinland'sNATObidinMarchlastyearbuthasslow-walkedSweden'saccession,demandingtheNordiccountryfurtheraddressAnkara'ssecurityconcerns.InOctoberlastyear,ErdogansignedSweden'sNATOaccessionprotocolandsubmittedittotheparliamentforratification.TheforeignaffairscommitteeoftheTurkishparliamentapprovedSweden'sNATObidfollowingdeliberationinDecemberlastyear,inakeysteptoputittoafullparliamentaryvote.TrkiyehasbeenunderpressurefromtheUnitedStatestoapproveSweden'saccessiontoNATO,butAnkarawasholdingupitsratificationtopressWashingtontoallowthesaleofF-16fighterjets.TurkishlawmakersvoteonthebillonSweden'sNATObidattheGrandNationalAssemblyinAnkara,Trkiye,onJan.23,2024.TurkishlawmakersonTuesdayapprovedalong-delayedbillonSweden'sbidtobecomethe32ndmemberofNATO.(PhotobyMustafaKaya/Xinhua)StaffmemberscountvotesattheGrandNationalAssemblyinAnkara,Trkiye,onJan.23,2024.TurkishlawmakersonTuesdayapprovedalong-delayedbillonSweden'sbidtobecomethe32ndmemberofNATO.(PhotobyMustafaKaya/Xinhua)TurkishlawmakersvoteonthebillonSweden'sNATObidattheGrandNationalAssemblyinAnkara,Trkiye,onJan.23,2024.TurkishlawmakersonTuesdayapprovedalong-delayedbillonSweden'sbidtobecomethe32ndmemberofNATO.(PhotobyMustafaKaya/Xinhua)Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.