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☆ 'It is urgent': European leaders appeal for greater support for Ukraine as Russia makes major gain
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-18 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Mette Frederiksen, Denmark's prime minister, speaks on day two of the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen criticized a waning sense of urgency among delegates at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday as Moscow's full-scale offensive nearly enters its third year. "The sense of urgency is simply not clear enough in our discussions," Frederiksen told a lunchtime session. Denmark has now donated its entire artillery to Ukraine, Frederiksen said, urging other countries to do the same as the war marks its second anniversary on Feb. 24. The policymakers were speaking at the 7th Munich Ukrainian Lunch, hosted on the sidelines of the MSC by the Yalta European Strategy (YES) forum and Ukrainian non-profit the Victor Pinchuk Foundation.

Persons: Mette Frederiksen, Denmark's, Frederiksen, Putin, Radosław Sikorski, Victor Pinchuk, Tobias Billström, Bakhmut, Nikolay Denkov, Denkov, Genya Savilov, Hillary Clinton, —, Niall Ferguson, Clinton, Petr Pavel, Kaja Kallas, Alexander De Croo, Bulgaria Nikolay Denkov Organizations: Munich, Bloomberg, Getty, Kyiv, MSC, Yalta European Strategy, Victor, Victor Pinchuk Foundation, Sweden's, Moscow, 47th Mechanized Brigade, Bradley, Afp, Former, U.S, CNBC Locations: Munich, Germany, MUNICH, Ukraine, Danish, Denmark, Poland, Ukrainian, Avdiivka, Moscow, Russia, Europe, U.S, Donetsk, Western, Czech Republic, Republic of Estonia, Belgium, Bulgaria

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — With Turkey completing its ratification of Sweden's bid to join NATO, Hungary is the last member of the military alliance not to have given its approval. Orbán has long promised that Hungary wouldn't be the last NATO member to ratify Sweden's request to join the alliance. Yet Orbán's critics say that there is no such schism within his party, and that when it comes to Hungary's approval of Sweden's NATO membership, Orbán alone is in control. Hungary's opposition parties, which favor Sweden's membership in NATO, have made several attempts over the past year to schedule a vote on the matter. “Anybody who believed that it’s in the hands of the governing party lawmakers was seriously mistaken,” she said.

Persons: Viktor Orbán, Orbán, Hungary wouldn't, —, Agnes Vadai, parliament's, It’s, ”, he'd, Ulf Kristersson, Kristersson hasn't, Tobias Billström, Budapest hasn't, he’d, Jens Stoltenberg, Dorka, Kristersson, “, ” Vadai, Vladimir Putin, Vadai, Orbán's Organizations: —, Turkey, NATO, Central European, Fidesz, European Union, Democratic Coalition, Ministry of Defense, Hungary, Centre, Integration Locations: BUDAPEST, Hungary, Budapest, Sweden, Turkey, Stockholm, Swedish, Ukraine, NATO

☆ Sweden expects Turkey to approve its NATO membership 'within weeks'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Silvia Amaro | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS — Sweden expects Turkey to approve its NATO membership "within weeks," the country's foreign affairs minister told CNBC after a months-long impasse over Stockholm's future within the alliance. Sweden sent a formal application to join NATO back in May 2022, alongside Finland. The latter became an official member in April 2023, but Sweden has been kept waiting by member nations Hungary and Turkey. During a NATO summit in July, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed to let Sweden into the alliance. "I had a bilateral with my colleague the foreign minister of Turkey, Hakan Fidan, where he told me he expects the ratification to take place within weeks," Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström said Wednesday in Brussels.

Persons: Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Ulf Kristersson, Jens Stoltenberg, Hungary's, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Hakan Fidan, Tobias Billström, Billström Organizations: Swedish, NATO, BRUSSELS —, CNBC, Kurdistan Workers Party, Foreign Locations: Vilnius, BRUSSELS, BRUSSELS — Sweden, Turkey, Sweden, Finland, Hungary, Turkish, Brussels

☆ Turkey expects to ratify Sweden accession to NATO 'within weeks', Swedish minister says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan speaks with Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom ahead of the NATO Foreign Ministers meeting at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, November 28, 2023. SAUL LOEB/Pool via REUTERS/ File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBRUSSELS, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Turkey has said it expects to ratify Sweden's long-delayed accession to NATO within weeks, Sweden's foreign minister told journalists on Wednesday. Some in the Western defence bloc had hoped Sweden's ratification would be completed by now for an accession ceremony to take place on the sidelines of the Brussels meeting. "The Turkish foreign minister (Hakan Fidan) didn't present a date but said 'within weeks'. He expected the ratification of Sweden's NATO protocol to be made within weeks.

Persons: Hakan Fidan, Tobias Billstrom, SAUL LOEB, Tayyip Erdogan, Finland's, Billstrom, Ingrid Melander, Benoit Van Overstraeten, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Turkish, Swedish, NATO, NATO Headquarters, Rights, Kurdistan Workers, European Union, Thomson Locations: Brussels, Belgium, Rights BRUSSELS, Turkey, Sweden, Finland, Ukraine, Ankara, United States, Stockholm, Turkish

☆ Sweden expects Hungary and Turkey to approve its NATO accession
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailSweden expects Hungary and Turkey to approve its NATO accessionSwedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom told CNBC on Wednesday that Hungary's foreign minister had promised that his country would not be the last nation to ratify Sweden's accession to NATO.

Persons: Tobias Billstrom Organizations: NATO, Swedish, CNBC Locations: Hungary, Turkey

☆ Turkey Expects to Ratify Sweden Accession to NATO 'Within Weeks', Swedish Minister Says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Turkey has said it expects to ratify Sweden's long-delayed accession to NATO within weeks, Sweden's foreign minister told journalists on Wednesday. But Tayyip Erdogan, president of NATO member Turkey, raised objections over what he said was the countries' protection of groups that Ankara deems terrorists. Some in the Western defence bloc had hoped Sweden's ratification would be completed by now for an accession ceremony to take place on the sidelines of the Brussels meeting. "The Turkish foreign minister (Hakan Fidan) didn't present a date but said 'within weeks'. He expected the ratification of Sweden's NATO protocol to be made within weeks.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Finland's, Tobias Billstrom, Hakan Fidan, Billstrom, Ingrid Melander, Benoit Van Overstraeten, Andrew Heavens Organizations: NATO, Kurdistan Workers, European Union Locations: BRUSSELS, Turkey, Sweden, Finland, Ukraine, Ankara, United States, Stockholm, Brussels, Turkish

No decision on a ground offensive has been announced, although Israel has been massing troops along the Gaza border 3. Israeli military spokesman Read Adm. Daniel Hagari said Saturday Israel had so far identified 126 captives. GERMANY TO START EVACUATING CITIZENS FROM ISRAELBERLIN — The German army will start evacuating its citizens from Israel with military airplanes. Hezbollah said its fighters struck several Israeli military positions in the disputed Chebaa Farms and Kfar Chouba hills in the afternoon. ISRAELI MILITARY ANNOUNCES IT IS PREPARED FOR ‘COORDINATED’ OFFENSIVEJERUSALEM — The Israeli military says it has prepared a “coordinated” offensive in the Gaza Strip involving air, ground and naval forces.

Persons: Israel, Lloyd Austin, “, Israel —, ”, Yifat Zailer, Zailer, Read, Daniel Hagari, Hezbollah’s, Ali Youssef Alaaeddine, Alaaeddine, ERDOGAN'S, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Bilal Erdogan, Suleyman Soylu, Mustafa Sentop, ” Erdogan, Sentop, Khalil Hachem, Rabad Akoum, ” Israel, Ismail Haniyeh, ” Haniyeh, Haniyeh, Mohammad Abu Selim, Medhat Abbas, Hakan Fidan, Sameh Shoukry, IT'S, ROME —, “ We’ve, Antonio Tajani, Tajani, —, ” Tajani, TT, Tobias Billström, Elina Valtonen, Hossein Amirabdollahian, Saleh Arouri, Ziad Nakhaleh, Amirabdollahian Organizations: United Nations, Gaza, United States Defense, TEL, ISRAEL BERLIN —, Hamas, Lufthansa, BEIRUT —, Associated Press, AP, Ministry, Sunday, South, MEDIA, BEIRUT, National News Agency, OFFICIAL, EGYPT BEIRUT —, OF, Gaza —, Shifa, Health Ministry, FROM, Romania — Romania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Israel, NORDIC, FROM ISRAEL HELSINKI, Nordic, Helsinki Airport, Iran’s, Manar, Islamic, Hezbollah Locations: Gaza City, Israel, Gaza, Egypt, Israeli, Lebanon, ISRAEL, SYRIA, TEL AVIV, Syria, Golan, GERMANY, Germany, Jordan, BEIRUT, Palestinian, ISTANBUL ISTANBUL, Istanbul, United States, Tel Aviv, Dubai, South, Lebanese, Chebaa, Kfar Chouba, JERUSALEM, EGYPT BEIRUT, GAZA, Shifa, FROM ISRAEL, TURKEY, ISTANBUL, Turkish, Embassy, Turkey, BUCHAREST, Romania, Romanian Embassy, ITALY, ROME, Italian, Rome, FINNS, Finland, Sweden, Helsinki, Stockholm, Swedish, Stockholm’s Arlanda, Beirut, Hezbollah’s, Amirabdollahian, Iran, Iraq, Jihad

☆ Governments repatriate citizens from Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +10 min

REUTERS/Pilar Olivares Acquire Licensing RightsOct 12 (Reuters) - Governments around the world have arranged repatriation flights from Tel Aviv in reaction to the conflict in Israel. AUSTRALIAAustralia organised two special flights on Friday and Sunday to bring back citizens from Israel, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Wednesday. CANADACanada plans to operate evacuation flights for Canadians stranded in Israel, Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said on Tuesday. ITALYItaly arranged for seven flights between Tuesday and Wednesday, the Italian foreign ministry said late on Tuesday, as part of efforts to repatriate about 900 Italian citizens from Israel. On Wednesday, Portugal had repatriated 152 Portuguese citizens directly from Israel, plus 14 citizens from other European countries.

Persons: Roseli Pereira, Pilar Olivares, Anthony Albanese, Alexander De Croo, Melanie Joly, Jan Lipavsky, Lipavsky, Elina Valtonen, Catherine Colonna, Annalena Baerbock, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Andrzej Duda, Mariusz Blaszczak, Margarita Robles, Tobias Billstrom, Srettha Thavisin, Oleg Nikolenko, Nikolenko, Alessandro Parodi, Tristan Chabba, Joao Manuel Mauricio, Barbara Lewis Organizations: Rio de, REUTERS, Argentinian, AUSTRALIA Australia, Spanish Air Force, Foreign, CANADA Canada, Centre for Israel, Jewish Affairs, Boeing, Foreign Ministry, European Union, Aviation, CZECH REPUBLIC Czech, Wednesday, Reuters, French Foreign, France, Condor, German Foreign Ministry, Icelandic Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Israel . KAZAKHSTAN Air Astana, Astana Times, Norwegian Air, Sunday . Defence, Ben Gurion, SOUTH, Incheon Airport, Korean, Acting, Airbus, SWISS, THAILAND, Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Airline KLM, Facebook, Romania, UNITED, UNITED STATES, U.S . State Department, . Delta Air Lines, U.S, Thomson Locations: Israel, Brazil, Tel Aviv, ARGENTINA, Rome, Argentina, AUSTRALIA, AUSTRIA Austria, Hörsching, Upper Austria, Cyprus, BELGIUM Belgium, BOLIVIA, BRAZIL, Brasilia, Embassy of Brazil, CHILE, Athens, Madrid, COLOMBIA, CYPRUS, Cypriot, CZECH REPUBLIC, Czech, Oman, Prague, DENMARK, Danish, FINLAND Finland, FRANCE France, Israel's Tel Aviv, Paris, GERMANY German, Jordanian, Aqaba, ICELAND, Germany, Keflavík, Iceland, Icelandic, ITALY Italy, Almaty, MEXICO, Oslo, POLAND Poland, Polish, Poland, Ben, Ben Gurion Airport, PORTUGAL, Portuguese, Lisbon, Portugal, SOUTH KOREA, Seoul, KS, SPAIN Spain, Spain, Torrejon, SWEDEN, Swedish, SWITZERLAND Swiss, Zurich, Bern, NETHERLANDS, Netherlands, UKRAINE Ukrainian, Gaza, Europe, U.S, Gdansk

☆ Swedish foreign minister still hopeful Turkey will ratify NATO bid in Oct
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Swedish and NATO flags are seen printed on paper this illustration taken April 13, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSTOCKHOLM, Sept 1 (Reuters) - The Swedish foreign minister said on Friday he remained hopeful that Turkey will ratify Sweden's planned NATO membership when the Turkish parliament reconvenes in October, as agreed with President Tayyip Erdogan at a summit of the alliance in July. Sweden applied for NATO membership last year in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and most alliance members quickly ratified its bid. After months of pressure, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said after a NATO summit in Vilnius in July he would forward the ratification of Sweden's NATO bid to parliament in October when it reconvenes after the summer break. Tensions with Turkey have also been heightened by demonstrations in Sweden where protesters have burned copies of the Koran, enraging many Muslims.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Sweden's, reconvenes, Tayyip Erdogan, Tobias Billstrom, Billstrom, Simon Johnson, Terje Solsvik Organizations: NATO, REUTERS, Rights, Turkish, U.S . Congress, Kurdistan Workers Party, Thomson Locations: Rights STOCKHOLM, Swedish, Turkey, Vilnius, Sweden, Ukraine, Turkiye, Ankara

COPENHAGEN/STOCKHOLM, July 31 (Reuters) - Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said on Monday he hoped the government's proposal to limit Koran burnings in the country would help de-escalate a growing international conflict with several Muslim countries. Denmark and Sweden have seen several protests in recent weeks where copies of the Koran have been burned, or otherwise damaged, prompting outrage in Muslim countries, which have demanded the Nordic governments put a stop to the burnings. The Nordic countries have deplored the burnings of the Koran but cannot prevent it under constitutional laws protecting freedom of speech. However, both governments have now said they are considering legal changes that would allow authorities to prevent further burnings in special situations. Reporting by Nikolaj Skydsgaard in Copenhagen and Johan Ahlander in Stockholm; editing by David EvansOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Lars Lokke Rasmussen, Rasmussen, Tobias Billstrom, islamophobic, Nikolaj Skydsgaard, Johan Ahlander, David Evans Organizations: Danish, Nordic, of Islamic Cooperation, Thomson Locations: COPENHAGEN, STOCKHOLM, Denmark, Sweden, Swedish, Copenhagen, Stockholm

Even so, Koran burnings took place in both countries on Monday. In Denmark, anti-Muslim protesters burned the Koran outside the Saudi Arabian embassy in Copenhagen, with several more planned for later in the day. The Nordic countries have deplored the burnings of the Koran but cannot prevent it under constitutional laws protecting freedom of speech. OIC foreign ministers convened in an extraordinary session on Monday to discuss the recent developments where it strongly condemned the Koran burnings. The foreign ministries of Denmark and Sweden were not immediately available for comment after the OIC meeting had ended.

Persons: Rasmussen, Tobias Billstrom, Islamophobic, Nikolaj Skydsgaard, Johan Ahlander, Moaz Abd, Alaziz, Adam Makary, Marie Mannes, David Evans, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Nordic, Saudi, of Islamic Cooperation, OIC, Thomson Locations: COPENHAGEN, STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Denmark, Stockholm, Iraqi, Saudi Arabian, Copenhagen, Swedish

STOCKHOLM, July 27 (Reuters) - Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson is "extremely worried" about the consequences if more demonstrations go ahead in which the Koran is desecrated, he said on Thursday, amid growing Muslim anger at a series of attacks on Islam's holy book. Kristersson told Swedish news agency TT that further requests had been filed with police for permission to hold protests where desecration of the Koran was again planned. Sweden's embassy in Baghdad was stormed and set ablaze on July 20 by protesters angered by a planned Koran burning. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson addresses the media ahead of a NATO leaders summit in Vilnius, Lithuania July 11, 2023. Members of Sweden Democrats, the biggest party on the right, have repeatedly warned about the "Islamization" of Swedish society and called for immigrants to adopt "Swedish" values.

Persons: Ulf Kristersson, Kristersson, Charlotte von Essen, Ints, Tobias Billstrom, Billstrom, Johan Ahlander, Simon Johnson, Terje Solsvik, William Maclean Organizations: Atlantic Treaty Organization, TT, Swedish, NATO, REUTERS, United Nations, of Islamic, Sweden Democrats, Thomson Locations: STOCKHOLM, Swedish, Sweden, Denmark, Turkey, Ukraine, Sweden's, Baghdad, Vilnius, Lithuania, Russia, Iran, Iraq, Algeria, Lebanon

☆ Sweden temporarily moves Iraq embassy staff after storming
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Emilie MadiSTOCKHOLM, July 21 (Reuters) - Seconded staff and operations at the Swedish embassy in Baghdad have been relocated temporarily to Stockholm for security reasons after it was stormed by protesters, the Swedish Foreign Ministry said on Friday. Iraq expelled the Swedish ambassador on Thursday in protest at a planned burning of the Koran in Stockholm that had prompted hundreds of protesters to attack and vandalise the embassy in the Iraqi capital. A Sweden foreign ministry spokesperson said on Friday that the staff and operations would temporarily move to Stockholm for security reasons but declined to give further comment. "What has happened is completely unacceptable and the government strongly condemns these attacks," Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said in a statement on Thursday. Reporting by Louise Breusch Rasmussen in Copenhagen and Johan Ahlander in Stockholm, editing by Anna RingstromOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Emilie Madi STOCKHOLM, Tobias Billstrom, Louise Breusch Rasmussen, Johan Ahlander, Anna Ringstrom Organizations: REUTERS, Swedish Foreign, Iraq, Thomson Locations: Sweden, Beirut’s, Lebanon, Swedish, Baghdad, Stockholm, Copenhagen

☆ Swedish embassy in Baghdad stormed, set alight over Quran burning plans
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Supporters of Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr gather for a protest outside the Swedish embassy in Baghdad on July 20, 2023. Hundreds of protesters stormed the Swedish embassy in central Baghdad early on Thursday, scaling its walls and setting it ablaze in protest against the expected burning of a Quran in Sweden. Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said embassy staff were safe but that Iraqi authorities had failed in their responsibility to protect the embassy in accordance with the Vienna Convention. Swedish police denied several applications earlier this year for protests that were set to include burning the Quran, citing security concerns. "Yes, yes to the Quran," protesters chanted.

Persons: Moqtada al, Sadr, Tobias Billstrom, Muqtada Sadr, STT Organizations: Swedish, Vienna Convention, TT, Telegram Locations: Swedish, Baghdad, Sweden, Vienna, Finnish, Stockholm, Iraqi

Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said staff at the Swedish embassy in Baghdad were safe but Iraqi authorities had failed in their responsibility to protect the embassy. Thursday's demonstration was called by supporters of Shi'ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr to protest at the second planned Koran burning in Sweden in weeks, according to posts in a Telegram group linked to the influential cleric and other pro-Sadr media. He stood by the embassy storming on Thursday, telling a press conference the U.S. "has no right to condemn the burning of the Swedish embassy but should have condemned the burning of the Koran". "Yes, yes to the Koran," protesters chanted. Sweden has seen several Koran burnings in recent years, mostly by far-right and anti-Muslim activists.

Persons: Tobias Billstrom, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Mohammed Shia Al, Billstrom, Muqtada al, Moqtada al, Read, Tayyip Erdogan, Ulf Kristersson, Timour Azhari, Anna Ringstrom, Supantha Mukherjee, Johan Ahlander, Marie, Louise Breusch Rasmussen, Ahmed Rasheed, Tom Hogue, Tom Perry, Lincoln, Bernadette Baum, William Maclean, Alison Williams, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: NATO, Sweden's Ericsson, State Department, Telegram, Turkish, Sweden's, Islam, Marie Mannes, Thomson Locations: Iraq, BAGHDAD, STOCKHOLM, Swedish, Stockholm, Baghdad, Iraqi, Sweden, Tehran, Turkey, Washington, Sadr, Copenhagen

☆ Sweden's military will bring 'substantial capacities' to NATO, foreign minister says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailSweden's military will bring 'substantial capacities' to NATO, foreign minister saysTobias Billström, Sweden's minister for foreign affairs, explains his country's decision to join the military alliance.

Persons: Tobias Billström Organizations: NATO

☆ Erdogan says Turkey could approve Sweden’s NATO membership if Europeans ‘open way’ to EU membership
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday introduced a new condition for approving Sweden's membership in NATO, calling on European countries to "open the way" for Turkey to join the European Union. It was the first time that Erdogan linked his country's ambition to join the EU with Sweden's efforts to become a NATO member. The White House readout of the Biden-Erdogan call did not mention the issue of Turkish membership in the EU. Sullivan didn't mention the EU membership issue. Previously non-aligned Sweden and Finland applied for NATO membership last year following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Ulf Kristersson, Jens Stoltenberg, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, Joe Biden, Stoltenberg, Dana Spinant, Jake Sullivan, Biden, Sullivan, Vilnius —, Paul Levin, Levin, Tobias Billström, Billström Organizations: Swedish, NATO, Monday, European Union, U.S, EU, Biden, Institute for Turkish Studies, Stockholm University, SVT, Kurdistan Workers ' Party Locations: Vilnius, VILNIUS, Lithuania, Turkey, Lithuania's, Sweden, Ankara, Istanbul, Finland, Swedish, NATO, Madrid, Cyprus, Stockholm, Sweden's, United States, Turkish, Kurdistan, Hungary, Ukraine

☆ Time has come for Turkey to ratify Sweden's NATO bid - Swedish minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

STOCKHOLM, June 21 (Reuters) - Turkey's parliament should begin to ratify Sweden's bid to join NATO because Stockholm has now met its obligations under an accord with Ankara on joining the Western military alliance, Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said on Wednesday. Last year Sweden and Finland both reversed decades of military non-alignment and applied to join NATO following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Finland joined NATO in April but Turkey continues to block Sweden's membership citing security concerns. This month Ankara said Sweden must crack down on anti-Turkey protests in Stockholm before it can receive the green light to join NATO. Hungary has also still to ratify Sweden's NATO bid.

Persons: Tobias Billstrom, Billstrom, Tayyip Erdogan, Niklas Pollard, Simon Johnson, Gareth Jones Organizations: NATO, Western, Reuters, Kurdistan Workers Party, Sweden's NATO, Thomson Locations: STOCKHOLM, Stockholm, Ankara, Swedish, Sweden, Finland, Ukraine, Turkey, Vilnius, Madrid, Hungary

☆ Blinken encourages Turkish counterpart to support Sweden's NATO bid
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ANKARA/WASHINGTON, June 21 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken encouraged Ankara to support Sweden in its bid to join NATO in a meeting with new Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Wednesday, a State Department spokesperson said. "(Blinken) also... encouraged Turkey's support for Sweden to join the NATO Alliance now," he said. Blinken welcomed Ankara's support for Kyiv and its work on the grain deal, which allows Ukrainian exports from Black Sea ports, the spokesperson said. Sweden and Finland both reversed decades of military non-alignment last year and applied to join NATO following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Fidan said he was there to demonstrate Turkey's support for Ukraine.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Hakan Fidan, Fidan, Blinken, Matthew Miller, Tayyip Erdogan, Tobias Billstrom, Huseyin Hayatsever, Rami Ayyub, Daren Butler, Ali Kucukgocmen, Christina Fincher Organizations: NATO, Turkish, State Department, NATO Alliance, Kyiv, Swedish, Thomson Locations: ANKARA, WASHINGTON, Ankara, Sweden, Turkey, Vilnius, Ukraine, London, Black, finalise, Finland, Stockholm, Blinken, Washington

OSLO, June 1 (Reuters) - NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday he would soon travel to Turkey to discuss Sweden's NATO membership, in a bid to close a process that has been delayed due to objections from member countries Turkey and Hungary. Speaking during a two-day meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Oslo, Stoltenberg said he had spoken to Tayyip Erdogan earlier this week, who at the weekend won re-election as Turkey's president. "I will also travel to Ankara in the near future to continue to address how we can ensure the fastest possible accession of Sweden," Stoltenberg told reporters. "It is time for Turkey and Hungary to start the ratification of Swedish membership to NATO." Several NATO foreign ministers expressed confidence Sweden could become a member before, or at, a NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, in July.

Persons: Jens Stoltenberg, Stoltenberg, Tayyip Erdogan, Sweden, Tobias Billstrom, Gabrielius Landsbergis, Gwladys Fouche, Sabine Siebold, Terje Solsvik Organizations: NATO, Lithuanian, Thomson Locations: OSLO, Turkey, Hungary, Oslo, Ankara, Sweden, Swedish, Vilnius, Lithuania

☆ Iran hangs Swedish-Iranian convicted over attack that killed 25 people
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

DUBAI, May 6 (Reuters) - Iran on Saturday executed a Swedish-Iranian dissident convicted of leading an Arab separatist group accused of attacks including one on a military parade in 2018 that killed 25 people, the Iranian judiciary said. Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom reacted with "dismay" to Chaab's execution, saying Sweden had pleaded with Iran not to carry it out. Iran said in 2020 that its security forces detained Chaab in neighbouring Turkey and took him to Tehran, without giving details of his capture. Iran has had tense relations with its ethnic minorities, which include Arabs, Kurds, Azeris and Baluch, and has accused them of aligning with neighbouring countries. Arabs and other minorities have long complained of facing discrimination in Iran, an accusation Tehran denies.

☆ Sweden less sure it will join NATO by July - TT
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

STOCKHOLM, March 30 (Reuters) - Sweden's foreign minister said on Thursday he was no longer sure his country would be able to join NATO by July, after fresh signs of objections from Hungary. Sweden applied to join the military alliance after Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year, but Hungary and fellow NATO member Turkey held off from approving the bid. Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said last week that "it goes without saying" Sweden would become a member by the time of a NATO summit in Vilnius in July. Finland applied to join NATO at the same time as Sweden. Its NATO membership was approved by the Hungarian parliament on Monday and is expected to be ratified by Turkey soon.

☆ Sweden summons Russia's ambassador over "legitimate target" statement
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

OSLO, March 29 (Reuters) - Sweden's foreign ministry said on Wednesday it will summon Russia's Stockholm ambassador to complain about an "attempt at interference" with the Swedish NATO application process. Sweden and Finland in 2022 both sought NATO membership shortly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and are hoping to complete the process this year. The Russian ambassador in a statement on the embassy's web site said joining NATO made the Nordic countries "a legitimate target for Russian retaliatory measures, including those of a military nature". A Swedish foreign ministry spokesperson told Reuters the ambassador would be summoned. "The foreign ministry is summoning the Russian ambassador to protest this obvious attempt at interference," Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom separately told news agency TT.

[1/3] Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan and Finland's President Sauli Niinisto shake hands during their meeting in Ankara, Turkey March 17, 2023. The parliaments of all 30 NATO members must ratify newcomers. "We have decided to initiate the ratification of Finland's accession process to NATO in our parliament," Erdogan told reporters after meeting with Niinisto, adding he hoped parliament would endorse the bid before May 14 elections. Amid simmering tensions with Sweden, Erdogan signalled in January that Turkey could endorse Helsinki ahead of Stockholm. Washington and other NATO members had hoped the two Nordic countries would join the alliance at a NATO summit set for July 11 in Vilnius.

☆ Sweden NATO membership is happening, Swedish foreign minister says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Silvia Amaro | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailSweden NATO membership is happening, Swedish foreign minister saysSweden has fulfilled conditions it agreed to at the NATO Summit in Madrid last summer, so it is time for the Turkish Parliament to begin the ratification process, Tobias Billström, Sweden's minister of foreign affairs, told CNBC.

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