Türkiye’s President Tayyip Erdogan officially approved Sweden’s bid to join NATO on Thursday, marking the end of months of delay and leaving Hungary as the remaining hurdle to Stockholm’s NATO membership. The approval came about 20 months after Sweden first requested to join NATO in the aftermath of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson expressed his satisfaction, stating, “We welcome Turkiye’s ratification of Sweden’s NATO application. We have now reached a decisive milestone on the road to full membership in NATO.” While the delay had caused frustration among Ankara’s allies, it allowed Turkey to extract concessions. Now, Ankara anticipates the United States will initiate efforts to secure the US Congress’ endorsement for a $20 billion sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey.

Notably, President Joe Biden’s letter to leaders of key Capitol Hill committees, sent a day before Erdogan’s approval, outlined his intention to begin the formal notification process for the F-16 sale once Ankara completes Sweden’s NATO accession process. The US Ambassador to Turkey confirmed that the State Department would promptly send the notification to Congress upon receiving the instrument of ratification from Ankara.

As per NATO rules, the final accession document from Turkey, the instrument of ratification, will now be forwarded to Washington, paving the way for Sweden’s imminent NATO membership. Political commentators have indicated that the geopolitical implications of Sweden’s accession to NATO are significant.