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Pentagon Chief Says Will Travel To Sweden Later This Month for NATO Accession Talks
Pentagon Chief Says Will Travel To Sweden Later This Month for NATO Accession Talks
Sputnik International
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said he will visit Sweden this month for talks on the country's NATO accession plans.
2023-04-05T01:34+0000
2023-04-05T01:34+0000
2023-04-05T01:34+0000
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"I look forward to working alongside Finland as an Ally, and to seeing Sweden join the Alliance as soon as possible," Austin said. "I will travel to Sweden later this month to discuss a range of regional security issues as well as their planning for NATO accession." Earlier in the day, Finland became the 31st member of the NATO alliance. Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that Sweden, like Finland, had met all the necessary conditions to join NATO. Sweden's application has yet to be approved by Hungary and Turkey. Finland and Sweden applied for NATO membership in May 2022, three months after Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine. Turkey initially blocked the process of considering these applications, but in late June, Turkey, Sweden and Finland signed a security memorandum that, according to Stoltenberg, addressed all of Ankara's concerns regarding the fight against terrorism and restrictions on arms transfers. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in January that Stockholm should not count on Ankara's support for its NATO bid, due to the recent Quran-burning protests in Sweden.
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Pentagon Chief Says Will Travel To Sweden Later This Month for NATO Accession Talks
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said he will visit Sweden this month for talks on the country's NATO accession plans.
"I look forward to working alongside Finland as an Ally, and to seeing Sweden join the Alliance as soon as possible," Austin said. "I will travel to Sweden later this month to discuss a range of regional security issues as well as their planning for NATO accession."
Earlier in the day, Finland became the 31st member of the NATO alliance. Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that Sweden, like Finland, had met all the necessary conditions to join NATO. Sweden's application has yet to be approved by Hungary and Turkey.
"I congratulate Finland on becoming the 31st Member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization on the day of the Alliance’s 74th anniversary," Austin said. "Finland is a proud democracy whose highly capable military will greatly strengthen NATO. Its decision to join the Alliance reflects the appeal of NATO’s democratic values, as well as NATO’s vital role in upholding the rules-based international order."
Finland and Sweden applied for NATO membership in May 2022, three months after Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine. Turkey initially blocked the process of considering these applications, but in late June, Turkey, Sweden and Finland signed a security memorandum that, according to Stoltenberg, addressed all of Ankara's concerns regarding the fight against terrorism and restrictions on arms transfers.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in January that Stockholm should not count on Ankara's support for its NATO bid, due to the recent Quran-burning protests in Sweden.
