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Added on the 31/05/2023 07:23:32 - Copyright : Euronews EN
Turkey signs a memorandum with Finland and Sweden supporting the invitation for the two Nordic countries to become members of NATO. IMAGES
Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu says the country is ready to discuss Finland and Sweden's plans to join NATO, despite accusing them of harbouring "terrorist organisations". SOUNDBITE of Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says Turkey should approve Sweden's stalled bid for membership "as soon as possible". "Sweden has delivered on what they promised and now the time has come for Turkiye to finalise the accession process," Stoltenberg tells a press conference in Brussels. Turkey and Hungary are the only NATO members to not yet have ratified Sweden joining the alliance over 18 months after it applied for membership. SOUNDBITE
The United States welcomes Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's submission to parliament of Sweden's NATO membership and hopes for approval as soon as possible. "We welcome that step," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller tells reporters, voicing hope that the bill "will be considered in the Turkish parliament and passed as soon as possible." SOUNDBITE
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson lands in Vilnius ahead of a landmark NATO summit at which he is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan regarding Stockholm's accession to the US-led defence alliance. Earlier in the day, Erdogan said he would only back Sweden's NATO candidacy if the European Union resumes long-stalled membership talks with Ankara. IMAGES
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg says he has convened a meeting between the leaders of Turkey and Sweden on the eve of a summit next week to push Stockholm's stalled membership bid. "On Monday, in Vilnius, I will convene a meeting with President Erdogan and Prime Minister Kristersson, as the next step in this process," Stoltenberg says after talks at NATO headquarters with foreign ministers from the two countries. SOUNDBITE
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