A parliamentary commission in Turkey has given its approval for Sweden's accession to NATO. The bill has now been forwarded to the General Assembly of the Turkish parliament for further consideration. This decision marks a notable shift, as Ankara had previously withheld support for Sweden's application to join the military alliance.
The impetus for this change came after Sweden took a firmer stance on Kurdish migrants, whom Turkey considers to be associated with terrorist activities. In a surprising turn of events, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan endorsed Sweden's application, officially referring it to the parliament for deliberation and adding his signature to the document.
The next crucial step involves a vote by the assembly members of the Turkish parliament on this matter. According to Reuters, the relevant bills have already been submitted for review.
However, Fuat Oktay, the head of the Turkish parliament's foreign affairs commission, cautioned that a swift decision should not be anticipated. The timeline for a parliamentary vote on Sweden's NATO bid remains uncertain. The speaker of the General Assembly clarified this during discussions with reporters.
It's worth noting that both Sweden and Finland sought NATO membership in 2022, prompted by Russia's full-scale military invasion of Ukraine. While Finland officially became a member of the North Atlantic Alliance on April 4, 2023, Sweden's admission still awaits approval from Turkey and Hungary.
Memorial to the fallen Moldovan soldiers of the Transnistrian War in Chisinau. Photo: Alexander Moisseenko
Thirty-three years ago, a ceasefire brought an end to the Transnistrian War—sometimes described by locals as the Russian-Moldovan War. Although the tensions officially ended in 1992, its consequences continue to shape Moldovan politics, society, and security — especially in view of the upcoming parliamentary elections.
Finland is moving to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention, which bans anti-personnel mines. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said the decision comes as a direct response to growing aggression from Russia.
The ruling Georgian Dream party has approved a set of controversial laws, including a “foreign agent” act aimed at NGOs and media. Critics say it mimics the U.S. FARA but is weaponized against dissent.
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The Russian capital faced one of the largest terrorist attacks in its history. The terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall, which claimed the lives of many innocent people, was the second largest after the Beslan tragedy. But unlike previous attacks, this incident is shrouded in a layer of contradictory facts and ambiguities that point to possible miscalculations by the Russian security services
