Sweden–Turkey relations

Türkiye's parliament is unlikely to hold a full vote on Sweden's bid to join NATO before mid-January, parliamentary sources have told AFP.

Sweden's accession to the U.S.-led Western alliance was approved by the foreign affairs committee on Dec. 26, bringing an end in sight to a 19-month standoff.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan was quoted on Tuesday as saying that positive developments on the US sale of F-16 fighter jets to Ankara, and on Canada's arms embargo, would help Turkey's parliament move toward ratifying Sweden's NATO membership bid.

US President Joe Biden has a "positive perspective" on the sale of F-16s to Turkey and is ready to present his proposal to Congress, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said.

Speaking to reporters in Istanbul on Friday, Erdogan said the issue came up in the "detailed conversation" he had with his US counterpart on Thursday evening.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said Canada and the United States were insisting that Ankara ratify Sweden's NATO membership bid before Canada resumes the export of drone cameras to Turkey, the text of an interview with media showed on Friday.

The Turkish Parliament's foreign affairs committee on Thursday opened debate on Sweden's bid to join NATO, but adjourned the proceedings until a later date without reaching a decision.

The Turkish parliament's foreign affairs commission will debate a bill approving Sweden's NATO membership on Thursday, according to the official agenda of the commission.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has said it is gratifying that Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has submitted a bill approving the Nordic country's NATO membership bid to Turkey's parliament for ratification.

Sweden applied last year to join the defense alliance but Turkey and Hungary have yet to approve the bid.

Türkiye has expressed strong condemnation over a recent act by the PKK terrorist organization in the Swedish capital Stockholm.

Sweden has ordered its armed forces and civil services to step up their preparations to deal with a terrorist threat, amid worsening security following several cases of desecration of the Quran, AFP reported.

US President Joe Biden expressed a desire to see Sweden join NATO "as soon as possible" in a phone call with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in which they discussed Sweden's bid to become a member of the Western alliance, the White House said on Sunday.

Turkey, along with Hungary, has been a stumbling block to Sweden's bid, which requires unanimous approval by all NATO members.