NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg announces that President Erdogan agreed to forward Sweden’s bid to Turkey’s parliament.

NATO leader Jens Stoltenberg announced on Monday that Erdogan agreed to forward Sweden’s membership bid for the alliance to Turkey’s parliament.

After talks in Vilnius, Lithuania, with Erdogan and Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Stoltenberg said Turkey had agreed to move forward.

“I’m glad to announce … President Erdogan has agreed to forward the accession protocol for Sweden to the grand national assembly as soon as possible, and work closely with the assembly to ensure ratification,” Stoltenberg told a news conference.

“This is a historic day.”

Sweden’s NATO accession has been held up by objections from Turkey since last year, accusing Stockholm of harbouring Kurdish activists Ankara regards as “terrorists”.

But a joint statement issued after three-way talks stated Turkey and Sweden would work closely in “counter-terrorism coordination” and also boost bilateral trade ties.

‘At the gates of the EU’

Earlier on Monday, Erdogan upped the stakes further by demanding that the European Union revive Turkey’s stalled EU membership bid as a precondition for Sweden joining NATO.

The surprise announcement by Erdogan before departing for a NATO summit in Lithuania’s capital added new uncertainty to Sweden’s bid to become the alliance’s 32nd member.

It was the first time that Erdogan linked his country’s ambition to join the EU with Sweden’s efforts to become a NATO member.

“Turkey has been waiting at the door of the European Union for over 50 years now, and almost all of the NATO member countries are now members of the European Union,” Erdogan told reporters in Istanbul.

“I am making this call to these countries that have kept Turkey waiting at the gates of the European Union for more than 50 years. Come and open the way for Turkey’s membership in the European Union. When you pave the way for Turkey, we’ll pave the way for Sweden as we did for Finland.”

US President Joe Biden praised “the commitment” by Erdogan on Sweden’s NATO bid later on Monday.

“I stand ready to work with President Erdogan and Türkiye on enhancing defense and deterrence in the Euro-Atlantic area. I look forward to welcoming Prime Minister Kristersson and Sweden as our 32nd NATO Ally.  And I thank Secretary General Stoltenberg for his steadfast leadership,” a White House statement said.