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Turkey won’t rush to approve Sweden’s bid to join NATO — lawmaker

Сhairman of the Turkish legislature’s Foreign Affairs Commission Fuat Oktay said that discussion of the issue could be postponed until early 2024

NEW YORK, December 11. /TASS/. Ankara does not plan to rush to approve Sweden's accession to NATO, said Fuat Oktay, chairman of the Turkish legislature’s Foreign Affairs Commission.

"Of course we’re not in a rush, we have our own priorities," he said in an interview with Bloomberg.

The lawmaker added that discussion of the issue could be postponed until early 2024.

He also said that the US should not link Sweden's admission to NATO with the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Ankara, according to Bloomberg.

The protocol on Sweden's accession to NATO has so far been ratified by 31 member countries of the alliance, with Hungary and Turkey being the only exceptions. NATO, Turkey and Sweden reached an agreement ahead of the alliance's summit in Vilnius in July that Ankara will ratify the accession shortly, but Turkey then imposed some conditions, including cooperation in countering terrorism and accelerating economic and visa integration with the European Union.

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US Justice Department drops federal cases against Trump — transition team

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London intensifies anti-Russian campaign in face of impending ‘Ukrainian project’ failure

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Russian national Nikita Zhuravel sentenced to 14 years in prison for high treason

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Ciolacu, Lasconi to face off in presidential runoff in Romania next month — exit polls

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Netanyahu may accept ceasefire in Lebanon to stop Hezbollah bombings — diplomat

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US did not contact Russia after use of Oreshnik missile — Deputy Foreign Minister

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US, European officials suggest returning nukes to Ukraine — NYT

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Russia will respond 'in every way' to Seoul’s arms supply to Kiev — MFA

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Defense contractor delivers new batch of Su-34 bombers to Russia’s Aerospace Forces

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Zelensky shook up by Russia’s response to permission to attack it — Lavrov

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Russian forces eliminate Ukrainian MiG-29 on ground

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Kremlin explains why Oreshnik missile came as surprise

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Kremlin refrains from predicting outcome of Romanian elections

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FACTBOX: Cargo aircraft crashes into apartment building in Vilnius, Lithuania

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France, UK will have to pay for their helping Ukraine strike inside Russia — diplomat

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Russian forces pound Ukrainian military airfields, energy sites over day — top brass

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Any escalation scenario possible in Ukraine conflict — Medvedev

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Ukraine abandons Selidovo, laying mines in wells — security services

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Russia’s launch of new missile illustrated assured retaliation capability, lawmaker says

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US missile defense base in Poland long among Russian army’s targets — Foreign Ministry

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Oreshnik can reach targets across entire Europe — missile troops commander

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Ukrainian army mercenaries from Colombia linked to US-controlled drug cartels — expert

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