WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden plans to host Sweden’s prime minister at the White House on Wednesday in a show of solidarity as the United States pushes for the Nordic nation to join NATO, a week before the alliance’s summit.
Biden and Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson “will review our growing security cooperation and reaffirm their view that Sweden should join NATO as soon as possible,” the White House said in a statement announcing the meeting. The leaders will also discuss Russia’s war in Ukraine and China-related issues.
Sweden and neighboring Finland ended their longstanding policy of military nonalignment after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Both applied for NATO membership and sought protection under the organization’s security umbrella.
Finland, which shares a border of more than 800 miles or 1,300 kilometers with Russia, joined NATO in April. But Sweden, which has avoided military alliances for more than 200 years, has had its rise delayed by Turkey and Hungary; NATO requires the unanimous approval of all members to expand.
NATO hoped that Sweden’s path to membership would be smoothed before the alliance’s summit on July 11-12 in Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital. Sweden’s entry would be a symbolically powerful moment and the latest indication of how Russia’s war is propelling countries to join the alliance. Those hopes have been dimmed.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan He has resisted, with his government accusing Sweden of being too lenient towards groups it says pose a security threat, including militant Kurdish organizations and people associated with a 2016 coup attempt in Turkey.
Last week, he condemned Sweden for a protest against the burning of the Koran. Swedish police allowed the protest outside a mosque in central Stockholm, citing freedom of expression after a similar ban on burning the Koran was struck down by a court.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg He said he would bring together senior officials from Turkey, Sweden and Finland on Thursday to try to overcome Turkey’s objections.
Hungary it also has to ratify Sweden’s offer. Hungarian lawmakers said a long-delayed parliamentary vote would not take place until the fall legislative session.
The government of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has alleged that Swedish politicians have told “blatant lies” about the state of Hungarian democracy. High-ranking Hungarian officials have said they support Sweden’s membership bid and have also made vague demands from Stockholm as conditions for approval.
