Sweden continues cooperation with Türkiye, says Swedish foreign minister

STOCKHOLM

Sweden’s foreign minister emphasized Stockholm’s commitment to ongoing cooperation with Türkiye, reaffirming the terms established under the June 2022 agreement.

At a press conference on Monday, Maria Malmer Stenergard addressed several key developments, including Sweden's defense policy updates and broader regional issues.

Commenting on a September incident involving a Swedish aircraft returning mid-flight to Türkiye due to a reported malfunction, Stenergard described it as "unfortunate."

"It was very unfortunate that our plane had to turn back, but we currently have good exchanges of views on various issues to which we are committed," she said.

The June 2022 Trilateral Memorandum involving Türkiye, Sweden, and Finland served as a critical step for Sweden and Finland’s NATO membership aspirations. Türkiye, a NATO member for over 70 years, played a significant role in facilitating this process.

Stenergard noted Sweden’s evolving defense strategies, particularly regarding updates to military equipment export guidelines aligned with NATO standards.

"With this update, we are now leaving behind the old neutrality policy and moving forward," she explained, signaling Sweden’s shift towards deeper integration with NATO, a decision it made in the wake of Russia starting the Ukraine war in February 2022, spurring it to seek membership in the alliance.

Moving to broader diplomatic issues, Stenergard reiterated Sweden’s stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict, advocating for a lasting two-state solution.

She called for de-escalation, prisoner releases, and reductions in civilian casualties in Gaza, emphasizing the urgent need for "negotiations, a cease-fire, and a sustainable two-state resolution."