The committee’s approval clears another hurdle in Sweden’s accession process to the union after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The Foreign Affairs Committee of the Turkish Parliament has approved Sweden’s NATO membership application.

Tuesday’s decision is a major step toward expanding the military alliance after 19 months of delays during which Ankara demanded security-related concessions from Stockholm.

The commission, controlled by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), voted for it Sweden’s offer last year after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The next step is a vote in the entire parliament, in which the AK Party and its allies have the majority. Sweden’s NATO membership is expected to be passed, and then the measure would go to Erdogan. If he signed it into law, he would do it complete a process That took nearly two years and frustrated some of Ankara’s allies in the West.

Commission chief Fuat Oktay, however, played down expectations of a quick vote across the Grand National Assembly, telling reporters that the speaker would decide the timing of the vote. Parliament also has a two-week break at the beginning of January.

“The decision to present it to the General Assembly has now been made, but it should not be interpreted that way [a sign] that it will pass the General Assembly at the same speed. There is no such thing,” Oktay said.

In a statement following the Commission’s approval, Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström said Sweden welcomed the move and looked forward to joining NATO.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg also welcomed the approval of the Turkish parliamentary commission.

“I welcome the vote of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Turkish Parliament to ratify Sweden’s NATO membership,” Stoltenberg said, calling on Turkey and Hungary to complete their ratifications “as soon as possible.”

All 31 NATO members now have to agree to new memberships.

Erdogan objected to Sweden and Finland’s bids to join the alliance in May last year because of their alleged protection of people described by Turkey as “terrorists” and their defense of trade embargoes.

Turkey ratified Finland’s request in April but made Sweden wait before taking further steps to crack down on local members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which is classified as a terrorist group by Turkey, the European Union and the United States.

In response, Stockholm introduced a bill making membership in a “terrorist organization” illegal.

Sweden and NATO members Finland, Canada and the Netherlands have also taken steps to ease arms export policies affecting Turkey.

While NATO member Hungary has also not ratified Sweden’s membership, Turkey is seen as the main obstacle to the Scandinavian country’s inclusion in the military alliance and strengthening its defense in the Baltic Sea region.

Erdogan had also linked Turkey’s ratification of Swedish membership to US approval of the sale F-16 fighter jets to Türkiye.

After a phone call with US President Joe Biden this month, he said Washington was considering ratification to move forward with the proposal.