In a recent phone call, U.S. President Joe Biden expressed his desire for Sweden to join NATO “as soon as possible,” discussing the matter with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.
The call took place on Saturday, with both leaders agreeing to meet face-to-face at an upcoming NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania.
What Happened: During the call, Biden and Erdogan discussed Sweden’s bid to join NATO, a move that has faced resistance from Turkey and Hungary, Reuters reports.
Erdogan indicated that Stockholm has made progress towards meeting Ankara’s requirements for ratification, but expressed concerns over continued demonstrations by supporters of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in Sweden.
The two leaders also discussed the delivery of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey and Ukraine’s aim to join NATO.
See Also: Turkey’s Erdogan Slams Biden For Calling Him An Autocrat In 2020
Why It Matters: Sweden’s bid to join NATO comes after it and Finland abandoned their long-standing policy of military nonalignment in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. While Finland’s membership was approved in April, Sweden’s bid has been delayed by Turkey and Hungary.
The U.S. has been advocating for Sweden’s entry into NATO, with Biden hosting Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson at the White House earlier this week to discuss the matter.
The U.S. has also been attempting to woo Ankara to support Sweden’s NATO membership by offering upgraded F-16 fighters, as reported by Benzinga earlier.
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