MOSCOW, July 10. /TASS/. The US will probably try both carrot and stick as it tries to convince Turkey and Hungary to greenlight Sweden’s bid to join NATO, Chairman of the Board of the Valdai International Discussion Club’s Development and Support Foundation Andrey Bystritsky told TASS.

"Of course, the US will make every effort it can to persuade Turkey and Hungary to agree. Of course, they will try to do everything possible, applying persuasion and maybe even some kind of coercion," he said.

The analyst pointed out that Washington could try to "offer something to lure Ankara and Budapest" into giving their consent. He noted that both Turkey and Hungary are ready to agree on the condition that the Swedes make some concessions.

"I think that for the sake of Sweden's entry into the alliance and preserving unity, NATO may eventually make some certain concessions with regard to these two countries," Bystritsky said.

The analyst said he doubted that the issue would be resolved before the bloc’s summit, given the little time remaining before the summit kicks off in Vilnius tomorrow.

Turkish stance

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier on Monday linked the approval of Sweden’s bid to join NATO with helping Turkey become EU member.

"I want to call on countries that have been slowing us down on the path to the EU for 50 years: First, let’s clear Turkey’s way in the European Union, then let’s clear the way for Sweden, just as we paved the way for Finland," he said before departing to Vilnius for a NATO summit.

Erdogan, Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, then Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg held talks in Madrid on June 28, 2022. As a result, a memorandum was signed making it possible for Sweden and Finland to join NATO. The Turkish parliament approved Finland’s membership on March 31, paving the way for the country to become NATO member on April 4. But Turkish lawmakers didn’t back Sweden's accession to the alliance, demanding that Stockholm comply with all provisions of the Madrid memorandum relating to counterterrorism. The Hungarian parliament hasn’t yet voted to back Sweden’s application either.