Biden is internet hosting Swedish prime minister on the White House in a present of help for NATO bid

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Biden plans to host Sweden’s prime minister on the White House on Wednesday in a present of solidarity because the United States presses for the Nordic nation’s entry into NATO, per week earlier than the alliance’s summit.

Biden and Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson will “review our growing security cooperation and reaffirm their view that Sweden should join NATO as soon as possible,” the White House mentioned a press release asserting the assembly. The leaders additionally will talk about the conflict in Ukraine and issues involving China.

Sweden and its neighbor Finland ended their longstanding coverage of army nonalignment after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Both utilized for NATO membership, searching for safety beneath the group’s safety umbrella.

Finland, which shares a greater than 800-mile or 1,300-kilometer border with Russia, joined NATO in April. But Sweden, which has prevented army alliances for greater than 200 years, has seen its ascension delayed by Turkey and Hungary; NATO requires the unanimous approval of all members to develop.

NATO had hoped the street to Sweden’s membership could be smoothed out earlier than the alliance’s summit July 11-12 in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. Sweden’s entry could be a symbolically highly effective second and the newest indication of how Russia’s conflict is driving international locations to affix the alliance. Those hopes have dimmed.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has resisted, together with his authorities accusing Sweden of being too lenient towards teams that it says pose a safety menace, together with militant Kurdish organizations and folks related to a 2016 coup try in Turkey.

Last week, he condemned Sweden over a Quran-burning protest. Swedish police allowed the protest outdoors a mosque in central Stockholm, citing freedom of speech after a courtroom overturned a ban on the same Quran burning.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg mentioned he would collect senior officers from Turkey, Sweden and Finland on Thursday to attempt to overcome Turkey’s objections.

Hungary additionally has but to ratify Sweden’s bid. Hungarian lawmakers mentioned a long-delayed parliamentary vote on that will not occur till the autumn legislative session.