Erdogan agrees to support Sweden’s membership

2023-07-11 01:07:29

The blockage is lifted. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has agreed to support Sweden’s NATO membership, which he has been blocking since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Alliance’s secretary general announced on Monday. Jens Stoltenberg, hailing “a historic day”. It’s “a good day for Sweden”, for his part, greeted the Swedish Prime Minister.

Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said NATO membership for Sweden is still possible at an upcoming summit in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius pic.twitter.com/W6HvFy4Zrw

— Reuters (@Reuters) July 10, 2023

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“I am happy to announce that President Erdogan has agreed to forward Sweden’s accession protocol” to the Turkish parliament “as soon as possible and to work with the assembly to ensure ratification,” the official told Reuters. of a meeting with the Turkish leader and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, on the eve of a NATO summit in Vilnius.

Biden « impatient »

“I am ready to work with President Erdogan and Turkey to strengthen defense and deterrence in the Euro-Atlantic area,” Joe Biden said in a statement, saying he was “looking forward” to welcoming Sweden as 32nd member state of NATO.

Erdogan blocked this Swedish candidacy by accusing Stockholm of sheltering Turkish opposition figures and Kurdish militants from movements considered “terrorist” by Ankara. Finland formally became the Alliance’s 31st member on April 4.