U.S. President Joe Biden “fully supports” Sweden’s bid to turn into a NATO member, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson stated in Washington on Wednesday.
“Sweden is going to make our alliance stronger,” Biden advised reporters forward of a bilateral assembly within the Oval Office and added he was “anxiously looking forward” to Sweden’s NATO membership.
Kristersson stated his authorities “highly appreciates” the U.S.’ “strong support” for its NATO accession.
“We do seek common protection, but we also do think that we have things to contribute with to be a security provider for the whole of NATO,” he stated. “I very much look forward to our talks here today.”
Kristersson additionally that the 2 leaders agreed that the upcoming NATO summit in Vilnius was a “natural time” to finalize the Nordic nation’s bid to affix the alliance.
“We both realize that the NATO summit in Vilnius in a week is a very natural time to finish this. But we both also know that only Turkey can make Turkish decisions,” Kristersson advised reporters on the Swedish embassy in Washington.
Kristersson’s go to got here someday earlier than NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg convenes a gathering of senior officers from Türkiye, Sweden and Finland in Brussels, regarding Sweden’s bid to affix the alliance forward of a NATO Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania on July 11 – 12.
White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre advised reporters that the U.S. has inspired Türkiye and Hungary “to approve Sweden’s application for NATO membership as soon as possible.”
Sweden has “fulfilled the commitments they made under the trilateral Memorandum of Agreement,” she stated. “Sweden is a strong capable defense partner that shares NATO’s values and will strengthen the alliance and contract and contribute to European security.”
Jean-Pierre stated it was “important” to have the Swedish prime minister on the White House forward of the NATO summit.
“The president has been very clear about Sweden becoming a member of NATO. And so we will continue to be outspoken about that and continue to be public about that,” she added.
Asked in regards to the burning of Islam’s holy ebook, the Quran, in Sweden final week, Jean-Pierre stated: “The burning of the Koran is something that the president would certainly agree is disappointing to see but I’m just not going to get ahead of any conversations.”
Finland and Sweden utilized for NATO membership quickly after Russia launched a conflict in Ukraine in February 2022.
Although Türkiye permitted Finland’s membership, it’s ready for Sweden to abide by a trilateral memorandum signed final June in Madrid to handle Ankara’s safety considerations on terrorism.
Hungary stated it postponed Sweden’s NATO accession bid to its autumn laws.
Earlier on Wednesday, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan advised Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte that Sweden’s authorized amendments have been a constructive step however the truth that the nation nonetheless permits pro-PKK/YPG terrorists to carry demonstrations and unfold propaganda invalidates its efforts.
On Tuesday, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated it isn’t clear from a strategic and safety perspective whether or not Sweden’s NATO membership could be useful to the alliance or be a burden.
To be a part of NATO, Sweden wants the approval of all of its present members, together with Türkiye, which has been within the alliance for over 70 years and boasts its second-largest military.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
