Turkey approves Sweden’s NATO membership bid

close Video

NATO announces biggest military exercise since Cold War

Fox News senior foreign affairs correspondent Greg Palkot reports on how NATO is to hold military exercises with 90,000 personnel on ‘Special Report.’

Join Fox News for access to this content Plus get unlimited access to thousands of articles, videos and more with your free account! Please enter a valid email address. By entering your email, you are agreeing to Fox News Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, which includes our Notice of Financial Incentive. To access the content, check your email and follow the instructions provided.

Turkish lawmakers on Tuesday formally approved Sweden’s bid to join NATO, clearing a major hurdle for the Nordic country to join the military alliance. 

Turkey’s parliament ratified Sweden’s accession protocol by 287 votes to 55, with four abstentions. The ratification will come into effect after its publication in the Official Gazette, which is expected to be swift.

FILE: A general view of the Turkish parliament during the voting session on the bill regarding Sweden’s accession protocol to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Ankara, Turkey, on Tuesday.  (Getty Images)

Sweden’s bid was held up for more than a year as Ankara accused the country of being too lenient on groups it regards as security threats. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Turkey has been seeking concessions from Stockholm, including a tougher stance toward Kurdish militants and members of a network that Ankara blames for a failed coup in 2016.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Bradford Betz is a Fox News Digital breaking reporter covering crime, political issues, and much more.