Blinken Urges Sweden to Join NATO Now

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is urging Turkey to drop its objections to Sweden’s membership in NATO. During a trip to Sweden, Blinken called on Turkey’s re-elected leader to ratify Sweden’s accession before a NATO summit in July. Blinken said that Sweden had addressed Turkey’s concerns over joining NATO. He also urged Hungary, which has not yet ratified Sweden’s accession, to do so as quickly as possible. Finland joined in April. Turkey has yet to give the green light to Sweden, citing in part a protest in which a far-right activist burned the Koran.