Pentagon chief urges Turkish counterpart on Sweden’s NATO entry
2023.06.16 10:12
© Reuters. U.S. Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin holds a news conference on the day of a NATO Defence Ministers’ meeting at the Alliance’s headquarters in Brussels, Belgium June 15, 2023. REUTERS/Yves Herman
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said he urged Turkey to allow Sweden’s entry into NATO during an introductory meeting on Friday with his new Turkish counterpart during a gathering of NATO defense ministers in Brussels.
“My purpose in meeting him today was an introductory meeting, just to congratulate him on being installed as minister of defence. Of course, (I) seize every opportunity to encourage him to move forward and approve the accession of Sweden,” Austin told a press conference at NATO headquarters.
“But it’s a very short meeting, and I don’t have anything to report out from that.”
