Here’s what to know about Turkey’s decision to move forward with Sweden’s bid to join NATO

By SUZAN FRASER
Associated Press

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Sweden edged closer toward joining NATO after the Turkish Parliament’s foreign affairs committee greenlighted a protocol for the Nordic country’s membership in the military alliance. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan dropped his objection to Sweden’s membership during a NATO summit in July, but it took him several months to send the bill to parliament for ratification and weeks for the committee to give its consent. The long-delayed protocol now needs to be approved by the full general assembly and it remains to be seen how quickly the issue will be taken up by the floor. Here’s a look at the issues that have delayed Sweden’s entry into NATO, why Turkey finally agreed to the bid and what to expect next: