BRUSSELS (Reuters) – U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said he had urged Turkey to allow Sweden into NATO during an introductory meeting on Friday with his new Turkish counterpart at a meeting of NATO Defense Ministers in Brussels.
“My purpose in meeting him today was an introductory meeting, just to congratulate him on being installed as Defense Minister. Of course, (I) take every opportunity to encourage him to move on. ‘before and approve Sweden’s membership,’ Austin told a press conference at NATO headquarters.
“But it’s a very short meeting, and I have nothing to report on that.”
(Reporting by Andrew Gray, Sabine Siebold and Phil Stewart)