Blinken encourages Turkish counterpart to support Sweden’s NATO bid

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken encouraged Ankara to support Sweden in its bid to join NATO in a meeting with new Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Wednesday, a State Department spokesperson said.

Turkey has objected to Sweden's bid to join the Western military alliance, citing security concerns, but members of the bloc have expressed hope that it will become a member in time for a mid-July summit in Vilnius.

In a meeting with Fidan on the sidelines of the Ukraine Recovery Summit in London, Blinken stressed the importance of NATO unity at a critical time, spokesperson Matthew Miller said.

"(Blinken) also… encouraged Turkey's support for Sweden to join the NATO Alliance now," he said.

Blinken welcomed Ankara's support for Kyiv and its work on the grain deal, which allows Ukrainian exports from Black Sea ports, the spokesperson said.

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