French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna has urged Türkiye and Hungary to swiftly approve Sweden's NATO membership before the upcoming summit in Vilnius scheduled for July.

Colonna expressed concerns that any further delays would pose risks to the security of the bloc's 31 member nations.

Speaking at a joint press conference with her Swedish counterpart Tobias Billstrom, Minister Colonna emphasized the importance of Sweden's prompt ratification as it is in the best interest of all parties involved, including Türkiye.

She stated: “Now that the elections are over, we are counting on Turkey to quickly ratify Sweden's membership. We want Sweden to participate in the Vilnius summit as a full member.”

For his part, Billstrom asserted that Stockholm has fulfilled the requirements outlined in the agreement with Ankara, citing the implementation of new anti-terrorism legislation. He emphasized that the decision now lies in Türkiye's hands, stating: “It is now up to Turkey to decide.”

The call by the French Foreign Minister aims to expedite the approval process and ensure Sweden's inclusion as a full member of NATO at the upcoming summit. (ILKHA)