US presses Turkey to lift opposition to Sweden's NATO bid as summit nears
US Ambassador to NATO Julianne Smith said the administration wants to see Sweden's inclusion in the Western military alliance "as soon as possible."
WASHINGTON — The United States is pressing Turkey to lift its opposition to Sweden’s NATO membership with days to go before the alliance gathers for its high-stakes summit in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, on Tuesday.
“We'll see where we are when we get to Vilnius,” US Ambassador to NATO Julianne Smith told reporters Friday. “You've heard the United States. Our interest is in getting Sweden into the alliance as soon as possible.”
NATO leaders hope to present a united front against Russian President Vladimir Putin at the two-day summit next week. But analysts say it’s unlikely Turkey withdraws its objections to Sweden’s joining before the two-day meeting.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was recently elected to another five-year term, reiterated his opposition in a televised address Friday.
