US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday encouraged Turkey to support Sweden’s bid for membership of NATO. Blinken was meeting Turkey’s new Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. Turkey has objected to Sweden’s bid to join the Western military alliance due to security concerns it has mentioned. Current NATO members hope that Sweden will become a member in time for a mid-July summit in Vilnius.
State department spokesperson Matthew Miller said that Blinken met Fidan on the sidelines of Ukraine Recovery Summit in London. Blinken stressed the importance of NATO unity at a critical time when Russia has invaded Ukraine.
Blinken welcomed Ankara’s support for Kyiv and its work on the grain deal which enables exports of Ukrainian foodgrains from Black Sea ports.
The secretary of state urged Turkey last month to immediately finalise Sweden accession to the bloc. Sweden and Finland reversed their decades-old policy of non-alignment last year and applied for NATO membership after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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Finland joined NATO in April but Turkey continues to block Sweden’s membership.
Just last week Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Sweden should not expect green light from Ankara at the Vilnius summit unless it prevents anti-Turkey protests in Stockholm.
Turkey says Sweden harbours members of militant groups it considers to be terrorists. Sweden recently introduced a new law to make it harder to finance or support terrorist groups.
On Wednesday, Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said that Turkish parliament should start ratification of Sweden’s bid as Stockholm has now met its obligations under a deal with Ankara.
Blinken and Fidan were in London to attend the conference on Ukraine at which allies were due to pledge billions of dollars in economic and reconstruction aid. Fidan said he was there to demonstrate Turkey’s support for Ukraine.
“The truth is we may not see eye to eye on every issue, but our longstanding alliance within NATO and other platforms compels us to continue to work together,” Fidan said in a video released by the Turkish foreign ministry.
Turkey’s former intelligence chief, Fidan was appointed by Erdogan this month after his May election victory.
US bombers in Sweden
On Wednesday, US bomber jets landed in Sweden for the first time for training exercise.
Two American B-1B Lancers landed at Lulea-Kallax airport in northern Sweden on Monday June 19, the military said.
“We are carrying out a joint exercise, both the air force and the army, with the Bomber Task Force,” air force spokeswoman Louise Levin told AFP.
She reportedly did not provide information on how long would the exercises last.
The military said in a statement that “for the first time in modern times US bomber planes have landed in Sweden.
“In these uncertain times and while waiting for NATO membership it is important to have strong partners.”
(With inputs from agencies)
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