Germany "very confident" of deal on Sweden, Finland NATO bid - goverment source

it would not be a catastrophe if it needed a few more weeks," the source said. But they have faced opposition from Turkey, which has accused them of supporting and harbouring Kurdish militants and other groups it deems terrorists.

Germany is "very confident" that NATO will reach an agreement with Sweden and Finland over the bid for membership of the alliance but it would not be a "catastrophe" if this did not happen by the summit in Madrid next week, a German government source said.

"As nice as it would be to announce concrete steps .. it would not be a catastrophe if it needed a few more weeks," the source said. "What is decisive from our point of view is there are no insurmountable problems".

Sweden and Finland applied to join the Western defense alliance last month, in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. But they have faced opposition from Turkey, which has accused them of supporting and harboring Kurdish militants and other groups it deems terrorists.