NATO on Thursday ramped up pressure on its member Turkey to drop its objection on membership of Sweden. The military organization seeks to deal with the issue by the time U.S. President Joe Biden and his counterparts meet next month.
Fearing that they might be targeted after Russia invaded Ukraine last year. Sweden and Finland abandoned their traditional positions of military nonalignment to seek protection under NATO’s security umbrella. Finland became NATO’s 31st member country in April.
NATO must agree unanimously for countries to join. Turkey’s government accuses Sweden of being too lenient on terrorist organizations and security threats.Including militant Kurdish groups and people associated with a 2016 coup attempt.
Hungary has also delayed its approval, but the reasons why have not been made publicly clear.“It’s time for Sweden to join now,” Norwegian Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt told reporters in Oslo. Where she was hosting a meeting with her counterparts to prepare for NATO’s July 11-12 summit in Lithuania.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that he would travel to Ankara. “In the near future to continue to address how we can ensure the fastest possible accession of Sweden.”
He was unable to provide a precise date for his trip.“I’m confident that also Hungary will ratify the accession protocol,” Stoltenberg said.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said that “it is essential that we can finally welcome Sweden as the 32nd member.”
She stressed that the Swedish government has Berlin’s “full support.”Sweden’s foreign minister, Tobias Billström, said that “it is time for Turkey and Hungary to start the ratification of the membership of Sweden to NATO.” He said that “everything (that) bars Sweden joining NATO will be seen as wine for (Russian president Vladimir) Putin.”
