Biden discusses Sweden's NATO membership with President of Türkiye
U.S. President Joe Biden (photo: Getty Images)
U.S. President Joe Biden held a phone conversation with Türkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, during which they discussed Sweden's potential NATO membership, according to the White House press office.
"They (the presidents) discussed the importance of strengthening the NATO Alliance, including the swift admission of Sweden as an equal ally," the White House press office said in a statement.
It is also reported that the heads of state discussed further enhancing Türkiye's operational compatibility with NATO and pledged to maintain close contact during the alliance summit scheduled for July 2024 in Washington.
Both sides also emphasized the importance of increasing humanitarian aid to Gaza and protecting civilians. During the phone call, the leaders also discussed the need to define political horizons for the Palestinian people.
Sweden on the path to NATO
Sweden applied for NATO membership last year.
As of today, all NATO members have approved Sweden's initiative, except for Türkiye and Hungary.
Recently, Türkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan submitted Sweden's application to the parliament for consideration. Stockholm expects ratification to take place in the near future.
Sweden's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tobias Billström, recently announced that Türkiye plans to approve the country's NATO membership application in the coming weeks.
