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Sweden may have to wait until September to join NATO — radio

It is noted that since Finland’s accession to NATO, there has been more pressure on Turkey and Hungary to admit Sweden as soon as possible from a number of "very powerful" allies, namely the United States, France and the United Kingdom

STOCKHOLM, April 17. /TASS/. Sweden is unlikely to become an official NATO member at the North Atlantic Alliance’s summit in Vilnius in July and the issue is likely to be shelved until September, when Turkey’s parliament finally ratifies Stockholm’s application to join the bloc, Sweden Radio announced on Monday.

A number of politicians in Ankara told Swedish reporters that, after the May 14 presidential and parliamentary elections, Turkish lawmakers would be hard-pressed to consider the "Swedish issue" ahead of a summer break that traditionally lasts from June until September.

According to Sweden Radio, since Finland’s accession to NATO, there has been more pressure on Turkey and Hungary to admit Sweden as soon as possible from a number of "very powerful" allies, namely the United States, France and the United Kingdom. Norway, too, has been trying to persuade the countries who have not ratified Sweden’s application to do just that in talks at various levels.

Sweden submitted its application to join the US-led alliance on May 18, 2022. The protocol has been ratified by 29 out of 31 NATO members, with Turkey and Hungary being the lone holdouts. A major scandal erupted between Turkey and Sweden over the burning of the Quran near the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm in early 2023. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that following this and other anti-Turkish rallies in Stockholm that Sweden should not expect any support from Ankara for its NATO membership bid. However, the alliance has no doubt that the kingdom will soon join NATO.

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