ANKARA

Turkish parliament on Tuesday approved the bill regarding Sweden's accession protocol to NATO. 

After discussion on the bill approving the protocol on Sweden's accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in the Turkish parliament, the bill was approved by 287 out of 346 members of the parliament who participated in vote.

While 55 members of the parliament voted "against" the bill, four members “abstained.”

Finland and Sweden – both Nordic countries close to or bordering Russia – applied for NATO membership soon after Russia launched its war on Ukraine in February 2022.

*Writing by Esra Tekin in Istanbul