In call with Turkey’s Erdogan, Biden expresses support for Sweden’s Nato bid

Turkey, along with Hungary, has been a stumbling block to Sweden’s bid, which requires unanimous approval by all Nato members

The leaders agreed to meet face-to-face in Vilnius, Lithuania at a coming Nato summit and discuss issues in detail, the Turkish presidency said.

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US President Joe Biden waves as he prepares to board Air Force One in Delaware, US on Sunday for his flight to Britain. Photo: AP

Published: 4:14am, 10 Jul 2023Updated: 8:34am, 10 Jul 2023

US President Joe Biden expressed a desire to see Sweden join Nato “as soon as possible” in a phone call with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in which they discussed Sweden’s bid to become a member of the Western alliance, the White House said on Sunday.

Turkey, along with Hungary, has been a stumbling block to Sweden’s bid, which requires unanimous approval by all Nato members.

Erdogan told Biden that Stockholm has taken steps in the right direction for Ankara to ratify its bid, referring to an anti-terrorism law, but said these steps were not useful as Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) supporters continued to hold demonstrations in Sweden, the Turkish presidency’s communications directorate said separately on Sunday.

Biden “conveyed his desire to welcome Sweden into Nato as soon as possible,” the White House said in a statement.

US President Joe Biden and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan meeting in 2022. File photo: Reuters

The leaders agreed to meet face-to-face in Vilnius, Lithuania, at a coming Nato summit and discuss bilateral relations and regional issues in detail, the Turkish presidency also said.

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