Sweden Announces Completion of NATO Membership Application

Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström announced today, Tuesday, that Sweden has met all the requirements set by Turkey for joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Billström stated at a press conference with his British counterpart James Cleverly that with the enactment of a new anti-terrorism law, Sweden has fulfilled the final requirements for joining the alliance, as stipulated in a previous agreement between Finland, Sweden, and Turkey. He added, "New legislation has recently come into effect in Sweden making participation in any terrorist organization in any form illegal... Thus, we have completed the final part of our agreement." Sweden applied for NATO membership following Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year, but Turkey and Hungary have stalled its efforts to gain membership in the alliance.