Türkiye has yet to ratify Stockholm’s entry into the bloc
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) receives North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (L) at Dolmabahce Office in Istanbul, Turkiye on June 04, 2023. © Murat Kula/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenbeg on Sunday called on Türkiye to drop its concerns over Sweden’s bid to join the military alliance, telling President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that Stockholm has met all of Ankara’s security demands.
“Sweden has taken significant concrete steps to meet Turkey’s concerns,” Stoltenberg told reporters on Sunday following a meeting with newly re-elected president Erdogan and senior Turkish government officials in Istanbul. “Sweden has fulfilled its obligations.”
NATO hopes to admit Sweden to the alliance in advance of its summit in Vilnius, Lithuania on July 11 and 12. However, Türkiye and Hungary have yet to ratify Sweden’s accession. All 31 NATO members must endorse a candidate before it can become a member.
