HELSINKI/MADRID (HRNW) – NATO hopefuls Finland and Sweden voiced optimism on Tuesday that Turkey might lift its veto over their stalled bid to join the military alliance at a summit in Madrid, where U.S. President Joe Biden is set to meet his Turkish counterpart.
The White House confirmed Biden will meet Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan during the summit that starts later on Tuesday and runs until Thursday, and two NATO diplomats said they expected Washington to seek to break the impasse.
Turkey s unexpected objections to the two Nordic countries membership bid, which if successful would be the biggest shift in European security in decades, threatens to overshadow a summit striving for unity as Russia wages war in Ukraine.
“The general view is that the discussions went somewhat better, which should mean that understanding has somewhat increased on both sides,” Finnish President Sauli Niinisto told reporters in Helsinki, referring to talks between diplomats.
Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde went further, telling daily Svenska Dagbladet (SvD): “We are prepared for the eventuality that something positive could happen today, but it might also take longer.” Read full story
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