An overview of the session of the Turkish Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee to approve the decision to allow Sweden to join NATO in Ankara, December 26, 2023. (Photo: Xinhua/VNA)

The final step is approval by the Turkish Parliament. Turkey has not yet scheduled a meeting to vote on the issue.

Turkey has been slow to ratify Sweden's accession to NATO, citing Sweden’s lack of full cooperation in the extradition of several Kurdish political figures whom Turkey considers terrorists.

Recently, Turkish President Recep Tayip Erdogan asked the US to approve the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey in exchange for its acceptance of Sweden's NATO membership.

After months of delay, Erdogan signed papers on October 23 in support of Sweden's NATO membership, to be presented to Parliament for consideration and approval. If Turkey accepts Sweden’s NATO membership, Sweden still faces opposition from Hungary.

The Hungarian Parliament has not yet begun the voting process to approve Sweden's application to join NATO.