Blinken: We Will Work For Sweden's NATO Accession By Vilnius Summit

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has held a joint press conference with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson following a bilateral meeting in Lulea, Sweden.

• Kristersson says that Sweden's military capabilities will bring considerable defensive capabilities to NATO, including helping securing the northern border with Russia.
• Blinken: "We will continue to work to complete Sweden's accession by the time our leaders gather in Vilnius for the NATO summit."
• Blinken says Sweden has taken "remarkable steps" to address Turkey's "very legitimate" security concerns and says "the time is now to finalise Sweden's accession."
• Earlier today, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters in Oslo that it is "absolutely possible" that Sweden can be admitted to NATO before the alliance summit in Vilnius in July.
• Stoltenberg: "There are no guarantees but it's absolutely possible to reach a solution and enable the decision on full membership for Sweden by then."
• Stoltenberg: "We don't have any certainty. Of course we are speaking about sovereign decisions by national parliaments. My message is that it is within reach," adding that there was "a window now especially after the Turkish elections and with a Turkish parliament being constituted."