Austin Says Expects Sweden To Become NATO Member Before Vilnius Summit In July

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th April, 2023) US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said on Tuesday that he expects to see Sweden become a new NATO member before the alliance holds its summit in Vilnius in July.

"We recently welcomed Finland as the 31st member of NATO, and we look forward to soon welcoming Sweden as the 32nd," Austin said during a joint press conference with Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson in Stockholm.

"We fully anticipate that Sweden will be a member of NATO by the time of the Vilnius summit in July."

Jonson, in turn, said that Sweden feels more secure after it made the decision to join NATO.

"I am hopeful that we will be able to join NATO by the Vilnius summit. I think the Vilnius summit is going to be a very important moment for the alliance, since it is stepping up its activities when it comes to deterrence and defense," he said.