Swedish FM fails to confirm Stockholm’s entry to NATO in 2023

Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom could not confirm after a meeting with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu that his country would complete its bid to join NATO in 2023, but said there was progress on this score.

"We had a very good bilateral [meeting] yesterday between Sweden, Finland and Turkey and I felt after this meeting that there is progress. We are moving forward," the top diplomat said ahead of the second day of the Bucharest-hosted NATO Foreign Ministers meeting, pointing out that he did not want to set a specific date for accession. Billstrom recalled that in order for Sweden to become a NATO member, it should fulfill its obligations under the trilateral memorandum (with Finland and Turkey - TASS), and the Turkish parliament must ratify the accession protocol.

The Swedish top diplomat also said that he had been planning a trip to Ankara to meet with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu.