The issue of Sweden’s membership in NATO will eventually be resolved within the framework of the Madrid Memorandum, a roadmap for the process of admitting the Nordic countries to NATO. This was stated to Izvestia by a member of the Turkish Parliament, the head of the Innovation Party, Ozturk Yilmaz.
“I think that the issue of Sweden’s membership in NATO will be resolved one way or another within the framework of the big Madrid Memorandum, which was agreed upon last year. I think there are ups and downs on the negotiating track. However, I think that the dialogue will be resumed, and Sweden will take some measures to calm the anger of the Turkish side,” the MP said.
Recall that the Madrid Memorandum is an agreement between Turkey, Finland and Sweden, reached during negotiations in Spain on July 28, 2022. The document is a roadmap for the process of admitting the Nordic countries to NATO and lifting Ankara’s objections.
After the burning of the Koran in Sweden, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan questioned the prospect of its membership in the alliance, suspending negotiations. The Turkish leader has repeatedly stressed that he can separately approve Finland’s entry into NATO, and thereby “shock Sweden.”
At the same time, Stockholm does not let go of hope. The Swedish Foreign Ministry reminded Izvestia that joining the alliance is a matter of the country’s security.
Recall that of all NATO members, only Ankara and Budapest have not yet ratified the applications of Sweden and Finland. However, on January 31, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto promised that at the session of the Hungarian parliament in February, the entry of northern countries into NATO would be on the agenda.
Read more in the exclusive Izvestia article:
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