Biden says Sweden will 'soon' join NATO
(VOVWORLD) - US President Joe Biden predicted on Thursday Sweden will join NATO "soon", speaking at the US Air Force Academy days after he hinted at a possible deal to overcome Turkey's opposition to admitting the Nordic country to the alliance.
 President Joe Biden. (Photo: AFP) |
On Monday, Biden spoke to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to congratulate him on his re-election.
Biden told reporters Erdogan repeated Ankara's desire to buy F-16 fighter jets from the United States, while Biden urged Ankara to drop its objection to Sweden's joining NATO.
In his commencement speech, Biden said NATO is stronger and is bolstered further. NATO's annual summit is in Lithuania, in July.
On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Turkey to immediately finalize Sweden's accession to NATO, saying the country had already taken significant steps to address Ankara's objections to its membership.