STOCKHOLM — Sweden will continue efforts to persuade Turkey to lift its block on the entry of the largest Nordic country into defense alliance NATO after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan opened the door to Finland’s accession.
Erdogan’s decision on Friday to instruct the parliament to ratify the Finnish application dashed the Nordic countries’ hopes of a parallel entry process. Hungary’s announcement that it also plans to treat the bids separately cast further doubt on the timeline for Sweden’s entry.
Speaking to reporters in Stockholm, Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said his government has done its part on fulfilling an agreement with Turkey the two Nordic countries signed in June last year, adding that it will continue to honor the deal.
