Brussels (agencies)
Yesterday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg announced a meeting between the Turkish and Swedish leaders on the eve of a summit next week to advance Stockholm’s membership file in the alliance.
“What we are working to achieve is a positive decision at the summit through which Turkey demonstrates its willingness to ratify” Sweden’s membership, Stoltenberg said after talks at NATO headquarters with the foreign ministers of the two countries.
He added, “We will work during the weekend, and I will meet the Swedish prime minister and the Turkish president on Monday. It is time for Sweden to join the alliance.” Sweden has been invited to the alliance since June 2022, but Turkey is blocking its accession, which must be approved by all 31 member states. US President Joe Biden is expected to put more pressure on Sweden’s side in the coming days.
During a meeting in Washington yesterday, Biden told the Swedish prime minister that he was looking forward to his country joining NATO.
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