Sweden does not expect a resolution of its NATO accession bid as Türkiye's presidential election is heading for a runoff, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on Tuesday.
"Right now, we should not expect anything with this process. Right now Türkiye is busy with domestic politics," Kristersson told TT news agency on Tuesday.
"It's clear that time is running out," Kristersson said referring to his country's ambitions to become a member by the NATO summit in Vilnius in July.
Still, he said he has not given up hope that Ankara might give the go-ahead for Sweden's application by then.
In a historic turnaround, Sweden and Finland abandoned their longstanding policies of military non-alliance and applied to join NATO after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Last June, Türkiye and the two Nordic countries signed a memorandum to address Ankara’s legitimate security concerns, that would pave way for their eventual membership in the alliance.
But provocative demonstrations by terrorist sympathizers and Islamophobic figures in Stockholm have led Turkish leaders to question Sweden’s commitment to taking steps necessary for NATO membership.
Sweden introduced a new anti-terror law in response to Ankara's demands, but Turkish officials said it would not automatically lead to Türkiye’s ratification of its NATO membership bid, indicating that further concrete efforts are required.
Ankara ratified Finland's membership, enabling it to become a full member of the defense alliance.
