Thirty-one member countries have assembled in Lithuania’s capital Vilnius for the crucial NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) summit to discuss Sweden’s bid to join the alliance and the Russia-Ukraine war situation.

Explained: How Sweden was able to join NATO, but not Ukraine

The White House said Friday that Sweden's membership in NATO will receive final approval soon. According to National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, there is a possibility that Turkey and Hungary will withdraw their opposition at the upcoming NATO summit.

Sweden's NATO membership approval soon: White House

On Thursday, hundreds of followers of influential Iraqi Shiite cleric and political leader Muqtada Sadr stormed the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad in protest of the burning of a Quran in Sweden.

Iraqi protesters storm Swedish embassy in Baghdad following Quran burning incident

After Swedish police granted permission to burn the Quran outside Stockholm's main mosque as part of a protest, the Islamic world is angry. Turkey's foreign minister criticised Sweden and said the diktat could further complicate Ankara's long-delayed approval of the Nordic nation's application to join NATO.

Sweden’s NATO bid in jeopardy after allowing Quran burning as Ankara seethes

As NATO countries push for Sweden's membership into the bloc, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is all set to visit Turkey on 3-4 June 2023. A statement by the alliance said that Stoltenberg is visiting the Middle-Eastern nation to attend the inauguration ceremony for the President of the Republic of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in Ankara on Saturday, 3 June.

NATO chief to visit Turkey, push Erdogan for ratification of Sweden’s bloc membership

Despite Turkey and Hungary’s opposition, US President Joe Biden said that Sweden will “soon” join the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). Biden’s remarks came during his speech at the US Air Force Academy days after he hinted at a possible deal to overcome Turkey's opposition to admitting the Nordic country to the alliance.

Sweden ‘will soon’ join NATO, says US President Joe Biden

Turkiye has urged Sweden to take steps against terrorism and handover of individuals it considers linked to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), considered a terror group by the EU, US and UK.

Turkiye urges Sweden to take steps against terrorists