MOSCOW, January 24. /TASS/. The Turkish parliament’s approval of Sweden’s NATO membership bid is Ankara’s sovereign decision as it has obligations towards its allies, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Wednesday.

"Turkey is still a member of the North Atlantic Alliance," Peskov said. "This is an absolutely evident fact. [Ankara] has its obligations, has its negotiating processes in this alliance."

"This is Turkey’s sovereign decision," Peskov stressed.

Sweden applied for NATO’s membership in May 2022. As a NATO ally, Turkey demanded that the Nordic country lift its embargo on defense exports to Ankara and pushed for cooperation in fighting terrorism. Despite a range of mutual complaints, the bill on the ratification of Sweden’s NATO bid was submitted to Turkish parliament in October 2023.

However, Sweden will not automatically join the North Atlantic Alliance even after the Turkish president approves the parliament’s decision, as another NATO ally, Hungary, has yet to greenlight its accession.