Title: Efforts to Break the Stalemate Regarding Sweden's NATO Membership

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is meeting with the leaders of Turkey and Sweden in Vilnius, aiming to break the stalemate over Stockholm's attempt to join the alliance. Erdogan and Kristersson appeared calm before the meeting, with the Swedish leader joking about having his plane parked next to Turkey's larger aircraft at Vilnius Airport. The three entered into talks for more than two hours before taking a break. Diplomats indicated that further negotiations are expected to continue later tonight. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson are visiting the Lithuanian capital to attend the alliance summit starting tomorrow, Tuesday. In a surprising statement on Monday, Erdogan said that the European Union must open the path for Ankara's membership before the Turkish parliament agrees to Sweden's NATO accession request. NATO invited Sweden to join last year, but Turkey has blocked the ratification of this decision.