The Protocol on Sweden's NATO Accession was referred to the Turkish Parliament after being signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Monday, according to the Presidential Communications Directorate.

The Swedish Prime Ministry welcomed Türkiye's announcement.

"Parliamentary procedures will now commence. We look forward to becoming a member of NATO," the ministry said on X.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg also welcomed the submission of the bill approving Sweden's bid to join the military alliance to parliament for ratification.

Stoltenberg added he was now looking forward to a 'speedy vote' in the Turkish Parliament.

The U.S. State Department also welcomed the move.

"We welcome that step," Spokesman Matthew Miller told a press briefing.

Noting that the U.S. has been calling for the ratification of Sweden's accession for some time, Miller said: "We look forward to that bill being considered in the Turkish parliament and passed as soon as possible."

Only Türkiye and Hungary are yet to ratify Sweden's membership after Stockholm dropped its long-standing policy of non-alignment to apply in the face of Russia's war on Ukraine.

Finland, which applied to join NATO at the same time as Sweden, was granted membership in April.

Stockholm reassured Türkiye that it would not support terrorist organizations, including the PKK, its Syrian affiliate YPG or the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), in the aftermath of its NATO membership and that a new bilateral security mechanism will be created between Ankara and Stockholm. NATO will also establish a Special Coordinator on Counterterrorism for the first time in the bloc's history.

However, Sweden repeatedly allowed terrorist PKK supporters to hold anti-Türkiye rallies and spread propaganda.