Sweden understands Türkiye's security concerns, says US Senate minority leader

WASHINGTON

Sweden's leadership understands security concerns raised by Türkiye as Stockholm seeks to join NATO, US Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday.

"I believe Sweden’s leaders understand and respect Turkey’s national security interests. And I know it is in NATO’s interests to welcome this modern, high-tech economy into the Alliance," the Republican leader wrote on Twitter after meeting behind closed doors with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Capitol Hill.

"The Senate hopes and expects to see Sweden become a NATO ally by the Vilnius summit next month," he added, referring to July's meeting of alliance leaders.

Finland and Sweden applied for NATO membership soon after Russia launched its war against Ukraine in February 2022.

Several nations, including the US, hope Türkiye will approve Sweden's ascension to NATO ahead of an upcoming summit in Lithuania's capital of Vilnius from July 11 - 12.

Although Ankara approved Finland's membership to NATO, it is waiting for Sweden to abide by a trilateral memorandum signed last June in Madrid to address Ankara's security concerns.

Sweden passed an anti-terror law in November hoping Ankara would approve its bid to join NATO. The new law, effective June 1, allows authorities to prosecute individuals who support terror groups.

A fourth meeting of a permanent joint mechanism between Türkiye, Finland and Sweden will be held Wednesday in the Turkish capital of Ankara.