Swedish foreign minister says has fulfilled requirements to join NATO

Sweden has fulfilled all of the requirements set out by Turkey in order to join NATO, Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said on Tuesday.

Sweden has fulfilled all of the requirements set out by Turkey in order to join NATO, Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said on Tuesday. Billstrom told a news conference with British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly that with the implementation of a new terrorist act it has fulfilled the final requirements to join the alliance set out in a tri-lateral agreement between Finland, Sweden and Turkey.

"New legislation has recently entered into force in Sweden that makes it illegal to participate in a terrorist organization in any way," Billstrom said. "We are thereby delivering on the last part of our agreement." Sweden applied to join NATO in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year but ratification of its membership has been held up by Turkey and Hungary.