President Biden met with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson on Wednesday in a show of solidarity as the U.S. and NATO allies try to dislodge Turkey’s objection to letting the Scandinavian country join the military alliance before a high-stakes summit this month.
Mr. Biden told the prime minister he is “anxiously looking forward to your membership,” while the Swedish leader thanked the U.S. for championing its bid.
Sweden has avoided military alliances for 200 years but wants to join NATO, given Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the possible escalation of forays into Europe. Finland, which shares a border with Russia and also fears Moscow’s aggression in Europe, dropped its nonalignment stance and joined the alliance this year.
“Sweden is a capable and committed partner,” Mr. Biden said. “I want to reiterate the United States fully, fully, fully supports Sweden’s membership in NATO. The bottom line is simple: Sweden is going to make our alliance stronger.”
Mr. Kristersson said the U.S. and Sweden share many priorities, and that “goes for handling the war in Ukraine.”
He also credited Mr. Biden with fostering “trans-Atlantic unity.”
Western leaders are pushing to add Sweden in time for the NATO Summit held July 11-12 in Vilnius, Lithuania. Yet expansion requires approval from all existing NATO members, and Hungary and Turkey have objected.
Hungary has signaled it will back Sweden’s bid once Turkey assents.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan this week said Ankara will not accept Sweden’s bid until it cracks down on anti-Islamic demonstrations and Kurdish militants the Turkish government views as terrorists. A recent Quran burning in Stockholm enraged the Turkish government.
“We have made it clear that the determined fight against terrorist organizations and Islamophobia are our red line. Everyone must accept that Turkey’s friendship cannot be won by supporting terrorism or by making space for terrorists,” Mr. Erdogan said Monday, according to wire reports.
The White House declined to comment on whether it thinks the recent Quran incident will upend sensitive talks.
“The burning of the Quran, as you all know, is something the president would certainly agree is disappointing to see, but I’m just not going to get ahead of any conversations — or diplomatic conversations — being had,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said diplomats from Sweden and Turkey will meet at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Thursday to pursue a breakthrough.
Joining NATO is a priority for once-neutral nations because the alliance provides for collective defense under Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty. In essence, an attack on one NATO member is considered an attack on all nations in the alliance.
The article has been invoked once, after the terror attacks on the U.S. on Sept. 11, 2001.
Earlier this week, NATO members agreed to extend Mr. Stoltenberg’s term by a year.
“The trans-Atlantic bond between Europe & North America has ensured our freedom & security for nearly 75 years, and in a more dangerous world our alliance is more important than ever,” Mr. Stoltenberg tweeted.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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