Tobias Billstrom, the foreign minister of Sweden, announced on Thursday that he will travel to Ankara to confer with Turkish officials about Sweden's proposed accession to NATO.

Following a meeting with his German counterpart  Annalena Baerbock, Billstorm argued that he plans "to go to Ankara in the fall to continue discussions, and in parallel discussions should be held with the authorities of all three countries, namely Sweden, Finland, and Turkey… And when these discussions are completed, then the Turkish parliament will have the opportunity to ratify [Sweden's accession to NATO]."

Based on the early November visit of Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson to Turkey, Billstorm said that "I am personally convinced that the prime minister's visit to Ankara showed that there is still a large space for dialogue [with Turkey]." 

Related News

Trump to hold phone calls with Putin, Zelensky amid ceasefire push

Turkiye calls on PKK to hand over arms, urges stability

Sweden to fulfill Turkey's conditions to join NATO: PM

Kristersson, on November 8, said Sweden will fulfill Turkey's conditions to join NATO, adding that Sweden will not have any relationship with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

One request vs. a long list of conditions
While #Turkey had a long list of conditions from #Finland and #Sweden, all the two Nordic states wanted was to join #NATO.
Here's your guide to understanding on what basis the agreement was made. pic.twitter.com/Aw7Jtu7frp

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) June 28, 2022

Kristersson, who is in Turkey on an official visit, was quoted by RIA Novosti as saying that "I would like to inform you that the Swedish parliament started working on the establishment of an inter-parliamentary friendship group with Turkey."

"Sweden will fulfill the memorandum to the end. We will not have any relationship with the group of the Kurdistan Workers Party," he indicated.

Read more: Sweden open to nukes under NATO: PM