Sweden is pressing to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization ahead of the July summit in Vilnius, Lithuania. This stance was communicated by Sweden’s Minister for European Affairs, Jessica Rosvall, in an interview with the Spanish publication La Razón.
“Sweden will persist with its NATO bid until the Vilnius summit,” Rosvall asserted. The minister emphasized that Sweden’s security gains from Finland’s accession to NATO bolster Sweden’s own defense posture.
Rosvall noted constructive ties with Hungary, which has not yet signed off on Stockholm’s accession. “We cooperate on many fronts, including defense,” she said, clarifying that EU and NATO funding discussions are separate matters. The remark came in response to questions about Hungary’s use of the NATO membership issue to push its broader European funding priorities in Budapest.
Earlier, Pentagon Chief Lloyd Austin expressed a hopeful outlook that Sweden would be part of NATO before the Vilnius gathering, reinforcing the expectation of a timely agreement.
Meanwhile, Yevgeny Stanislavov, the Russian Ambassador to Budapest, suggested that Hungary could use Finland’s moves to influence the pace of Sweden’s entry, potentially delaying the process.
Swedish public broadcaster Sveriges Radio reported that Sweden may not participate in NATO discussions until at least September. The company cited expectations that Turkish lawmakers are unlikely to bring up Sweden’s accession before the summer recess, which stretches from June through September.