U.S. President Joe Biden looks on during his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy (not pictured), during the G7 Summit at the Grand Prince Hotel in Hiroshima, Japan, May 21, 2023. REUTERS FILE PHOTO
WASHINGTON 鈥� U.S. President Joe Biden showed support for Sweden鈥檚 entry into Nato in talks with Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson on Wednesday as doubts linger that Turkey will lift its opposition in time for the military alliance鈥檚 summit next week.
Biden leaves on Sunday on a three-nation trip centered around the summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, where alliance members hope to welcome Sweden as its newest member.
Biden, seated next to Kristersson in the Oval Office with reporters present, said he was 鈥渁nxiously looking forward to your membership鈥� in Nato (North Atlantic Treaty Alliance.)
Kristersson said after the meeting that the two leaders agreed that the Vilnius meeting was a 鈥渘atural time鈥� to finalize the Nordic country鈥檚 bid to join the alliance.
鈥淏ut we both also know that only Turkey can make Turkish decisions,鈥� Kristersson told reporters at the Swedish embassy in Washington.
Biden 鈥減raised Sweden鈥檚 role as a regional security provider and underscored his commitment to welcoming Sweden to NATO as soon as possible,鈥� according to a White House readout of their conversation.
Sweden and Finland applied for Nato membership last year, ditching long-held policies of military non-alignment following Russia鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine. Applications for membership must be approved by all Nato members. Turkey and Hungary have yet to clear Sweden鈥檚 bid. Finland was approved in April.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan says Stockholm harbors members of militant groups, namely supporters of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in Sweden who he accuses of organizing demonstrations and financing terrorist groups.
The United States and its allies have been working to overcome Turkey鈥檚 opposition. Sweden has said it has fulfilled the demands agreed upon in negotiations with Turkey, including introducing a new bill that makes being a member of a terrorist organization illegal, but Erdogan has yet to signal he is ready to ratify Sweden鈥檚 application.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday spoke to Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and encouraged Turkey鈥檚 support for Sweden to join the Nato military alliance, the State Department said in a statement.
鈥淪ecretary Blinken stressed the importance of Nato unity in such a critical time and encouraged T眉rkiye鈥檚 support for Sweden to join the Nato Alliance now,鈥� the State Department said.
Sweden, Turkey and Nato will meet in Brussels on Thursday to try to find a solution before the July 11-12 summit.