Pal Johnson: Türkiye is an “important ally” | News

The Warsaw Security Forum will be held in Poland on Tuesday and Wednesday. Among the participants was Defense Minister Pall Johnson (centre), who spoke about Sweden joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

During the meeting, he described what the relationship with Türkiye looks like today.

– Türkiye is an important ally for us. We want to maintain good relations with Türkiye when we become members of NATO. However, I think it is important for us to become members as soon as possible. Pal Johnson said, according to the Turkish News Agency, that it is important for us to be part of Article 5 and NATO’s joint defense planning.

“We understand the difference”

Johnson explained that Sweden, like Ukraine, knows the difference between being a partner in NATO and being part of the defense alliance.

– When you become a member, you can integrate into this Joint Defense Plan. That is why it is important for the alliance that we are integrating as quickly as possible to continue development in all these parts.

On Sunday, the Turkish Parliament opened its doors, allowing the country to now raise the issue of Sweden’s application to join NATO. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has already said the request will be approved – but no word yet.

Christerson: “I can’t promise”

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said he could not promise that Turkey would ratify the request within October.

– I cannot promise any of this, because Turkey is the one that makes Turkish decisions, he told TT on Tuesday.

But he assumes that the decision is still valid.

We have agreed and taken care of this matter between Sweden, Turkey, and NATO, and this agreement applies to us, and I assume it applies to Turkey as well. “We have not received any signals that this will not apply,” he told TT.

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