Biden to host Swedish PM for talks on Nato, Ukraine

 

Biden to host Swedish PM for talks on Nato, Ukraine US President Joe Biden (left) will host Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (right) next week to talk about transatlantic security cooperation and the war in Ukraine. – AFP pic, July 2, 2023. US President Joe Biden will host Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson next week to talk about transatlantic security cooperation and the war in Ukraine, the White House said yesterday.    The two leaders 'will review our growing security cooperation and reaffirm their view that Sweden should join Nato as soon as possible,' the White House said in a statement about the July 5 meeting.

Biden to Host Swedish PM for Talks on NATO, Ukraine

U.S. President Joe Biden will host Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson on Wednesday, July 5, for talks on transatlantic security cooperation and the war in Ukraine. The two leaders will review their growing security cooperation and reaffirm their view that Sweden should join NATO as soon as possible.

Sweden and Finland applied for NATO membership in May 2022, three months after Russia invaded Ukraine. The two countries have long been neutral, but they argued that Russia's aggression had changed the security landscape in Europe and that they needed the protection of NATO membership.

NATO's 30 member states must unanimously agree to admit new members. Turkey has expressed reservations about Sweden and Finland's membership bids, citing concerns about their support for Kurdish groups that Turkey considers to be terrorist organizations.

The White House said that Biden and Kristersson will discuss Turkey's concerns during their meeting. They will also talk about the United States' support for Ukraine, including military and humanitarian assistance.

In addition to NATO and Ukraine, Biden and Kristersson will also discuss transatlantic coordination on China, climate change, and emerging technologies.

The meeting comes just days before the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, on July 10-11. The summit is expected to focus on Russia's war in Ukraine and the security of the Baltic region.

Background on Sweden's NATO Membership Bid

Sweden has been a neutral country for more than 200 years. However, the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 led to a significant shift in Swedish public opinion on NATO membership. In a poll conducted in March 2022, 68% of Swedes said that they supported joining NATO, up from 51% in December 2021.

On May 18, 2022, Sweden and Finland submitted their applications for NATO membership. The two countries' membership bids have been met with strong support from NATO members, including the United States. However, Turkey has expressed reservations about Sweden and Finland's membership, citing concerns about their support for Kurdish groups that Turkey considers to be terrorist organizations.

The United States has urged Turkey to drop its objections to Sweden and Finland's NATO membership bids. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu in Washington, D.C., on June 8, 2022, to discuss the issue. Blinken said that the United States was "committed to working through any obstacles" to Sweden and Finland's membership.

It is unclear when NATO will make a decision on Sweden and Finland's membership bids. However, the two countries are expected to attend the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, on July 10-11. The summit is expected to be a key opportunity for NATO members to discuss the issue and reach a decision.

Conclusion

The meeting between Biden and Kristersson is a sign of the strong support that the United States has for Sweden's NATO membership bid. The two leaders are expected to discuss Turkey's concerns and work to find a way to overcome them. The meeting is also a chance for Biden and Kristersson to discuss the United States' support for Ukraine and the security of the Baltic region.