Finland Clears Last Obstacle to NATO Entry with Turkish Approval

Turkey’s parliament voted to approve Finland’s membership in NATO, removing the final obstacle to the accession of Russia’s Nordic neighbor into the defense alliance as its 31st member.

Lawmakers in Ankara unanimously voted on Thursday to ratify Finland’s entry into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the last of current members to approve the expansion after the Hungarian parliament on Monday also backed the move. Finland’s membership becomes official once it deposits its accession bid with the US State Department in Washington, which could happen in the coming days.

The vote seals a major change in the European security architecture after militarily non-aligned Finland and Sweden sought NATO membership in a U-turn following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine a year ago. It also highlights divisions inside the bloc as Turkey and Hungary remain opposed to Sweden’s entry, with the timeline for the accession of the largest Nordic nation thrown in doubt.