Biden said that it is very important that Sweden join, a decision that has not yet been finalized due to the objections of Turkey and Hungary. NATO requires the unanimous approval of its members to expand its number.
“You are a very, very valued friend,” the president told Kristersson during brief public remarks in the Oval Office.
In response, Kristersson told the president that “we greatly appreciate your great support” for Sweden to join NATO.
During their private meeting, the two rulers were expected to discuss security cooperation, the war in Ukraine and China-related issues.
Sweden and neighboring Finland ended their longstanding stance of military neutrality after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Both applied to join NATO, seeking safety under the organization’s umbrella.
Finland, which shares more than 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) of border with Russia, joined NATO in April. But the entry of Sweden, which has avoided joining military alliances for more than 200 years, has been delayed.
NATO was hopeful the Swedes’ path to joining the alliance would be smoothed before the body held a summit on July 11-12 in Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital. Sweden’s entry would be a powerful symbolic moment and the latest indication that the war in Ukraine is drawing some countries closer to the alliance. But those hopes have dwindled.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has opposed NATO expansion His government accuses Sweden of being too lenient towards groups it says pose a security threat, including Kurdish extremist organizations and people linked to a coup attempt in Turkey in 2016.
___
Associated Press writer Seung Min Kim contributed to this report.
FUENTE: Associated Press
