Top officials from Turkey and Sweden are meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels today. The purpose of the meeting is to address Turkey’s concerns about Sweden’s and Finland’s membership in the alliance. Turkey has blocked the two Nordic countries from joining NATO.
The reason cited by Turkey is their alleged support for Kurdish groups that Turkey considers to be terrorists. However, Sweden and Finland have denied these allegations. They have expressed their willingness to engage in discussions with Turkish officials to address the concerns.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg is leading the meeting. His objective is to facilitate an agreement that allows Sweden and Finland to join NATO. The successful inclusion of these countries would be a significant victory for the alliance.
NATO aims to bolster its defenses following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The meeting has just begun, as the current time is 00:19:40 PST. The duration of the meeting is uncertain. Nevertheless, there is a possibility that an agreement could be reached by the end of the day.
Here are some additional details about the meeting:
- The meeting will involve the countries’ foreign ministers, intelligence chiefs, and other senior officials.
- Stoltenberg has said that he is “confident” that the two sides can reach an agreement.
- Turkey has said that it is open to dialogue, but it has not yet made any specific demands.
- Sweden and Finland have said that they are committed to joining NATO, and they are willing to address Turkey’s concerns.
The outcome of the meeting is uncertain, but it is a significant development in the process of Sweden and Finland joining NATO. If the two sides are able to reach an agreement, it would be a major boost for the alliance and a setback for Russia.
