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Biden is hosting Swedish prime minister at the White House in a show of support for NATO bid

by Michael Nguyen
4 comments
NATO bid

President Joe Biden is set to welcome Sweden’s prime minister to the White House in a display of support for the country’s NATO aspirations. The meeting, scheduled a week before the NATO summit, aims to emphasize solidarity and cooperation between the United States and Sweden. The agenda will include discussions on strengthening security cooperation, endorsing Sweden’s prompt entry into NATO, addressing the war in Ukraine, and matters concerning China.

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Sweden and neighboring Finland abandoned their longstanding military nonalignment policies and applied for NATO membership. While Finland joined NATO in April, Sweden’s accession has faced obstacles from Turkey and Hungary. NATO requires unanimous approval from all members for expansion, which has caused delays in Sweden’s path to membership.

Hopes were initially high that Sweden’s membership would be confirmed before the upcoming NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, as it would symbolize a significant moment and highlight the increasing influence of Russia’s actions on countries joining the alliance. However, these hopes have been dampened by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s resistance. Turkey has accused Sweden of being lenient toward groups it considers security threats, including militant Kurdish organizations and individuals associated with a 2016 coup attempt in Turkey. Erdogan also condemned Sweden over a recent Quran-burning protest. Additionally, Hungary has yet to ratify Sweden’s bid, with the country’s officials raising concerns about the state of Hungary’s democracy and making unspecified demands from Sweden as conditions for approval.

In an effort to overcome Turkey’s objections, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg plans to convene senior officials from Turkey, Sweden, and Finland. The meeting aims to address the concerns raised and advance Sweden’s NATO membership aspirations. However, the Hungarian parliamentary vote on Sweden’s bid is expected to be delayed until the autumn legislative session, further complicating the process.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about NATO bid

Q: Why is President Biden hosting the Swedish prime minister at the White House?

A: President Biden is hosting the Swedish prime minister at the White House as a show of support for Sweden’s bid to join NATO. The meeting aims to emphasize solidarity and cooperation between the United States and Sweden.

Q: What will be discussed during the meeting?

A: The leaders will discuss various topics including security cooperation, Sweden’s prompt entry into NATO, the war in Ukraine, and matters involving China.

Q: Why has Sweden’s entry into NATO been delayed?

A: Sweden’s entry into NATO has faced delays due to objections from Turkey and Hungary. NATO requires unanimous approval from all members for expansion, and these countries have raised concerns and made demands before giving their approval.

Q: When was Finland’s entry into NATO confirmed?

A: Finland joined NATO in April, while Sweden’s accession has been facing obstacles and delays.

Q: What are the concerns raised by Turkey regarding Sweden’s NATO bid?

A: Turkey has accused Sweden of being too lenient towards groups it considers security threats, such as militant Kurdish organizations and individuals associated with a 2016 coup attempt in Turkey. Turkey has also condemned Sweden over a recent Quran-burning protest.

Q: When is the NATO summit scheduled?

A: The NATO summit is scheduled to take place on July 11-12 in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Q: What steps are being taken to overcome Turkey’s objections?

A: NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg plans to gather senior officials from Turkey, Sweden, and Finland to address Turkey’s concerns and work towards resolving the objections raised.

Q: When is the Hungarian parliamentary vote on Sweden’s NATO bid expected to happen?

A: The Hungarian parliamentary vote on Sweden’s NATO bid is expected to be delayed until the autumn legislative session. Hungarian officials have raised concerns about the state of Hungary’s democracy and have made unspecified demands from Sweden as conditions for approval.

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4 comments

NewsJunkie23 July 5, 2023 - 8:59 am

turkey raising concerns about sweden being too lenient? pot calling the kettle black, huh? let’s hope they sort it out soon.

Reply
User123 July 6, 2023 - 3:05 am

omg biden hosting swedish pm at white house! supporting nato bid, show of solidarity!! usa & sweden rly close yesssss

Reply
NewsJunkie23 July 6, 2023 - 11:09 pm

turkey raising concerns about sweden being too lenient? pot calling the kettle black, huh? let’s hope they sort it out soon.

Reply
User123 July 7, 2023 - 2:00 am

omg biden hosting swedish pm at white house! supporting nato bid, show of solidarity!! usa & sweden rly close yesssss

Reply

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