Sweden Moves Closer to NATO Membership

Sweden's foreign minister, Tobias Billstrom, stated that the country's ambition is to become a member of NATO by the time of the alliance's summit in Vilnius in July.

This decision was made last year in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Finland joined NATO last month, but Sweden's membership has been held up by objections from Turkiye and Hungary.

Billstrom expressed hope that Turkiye's parliament would begin the ratification process after the presidential election on Sunday and that Hungary would also start the process, as they gave their support for Sweden's membership without any conditions at the Madrid summit last year.