Turkish Parliament Ratifies Finland’s NATO Accession as Sweden Kept Waiting

Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan and Finland’s President Sauli Niinisto shake hands during a welcoming ceremony in Ankara, Turkey, on March 17, 2023. Murat Cetinmuhurdar/Presidential Press Office/Handout via Reuters

ANKARA—Turkey’s parliament approved a bill on Thursday to allow Finland to join NATO, clearing the way for the country to become part of the Western defense alliance as war rages in Ukraine.

The Turkish parliament was the last among the 30 members of the alliance to ratify Finland’s membership after Hungary’s legislature approved a similar bill earlier this week.