Sweden's NATO Bid: Allies Mount Pressure for July Decision.

Sweden's bid to join NATO has been delayed due to hurdles, which has disrupted Nordic defense planning. The political landscape in Turkey might continue to thwart Sweden's accession ambitions. Nordic governments had hoped to convene separate meetings between national defense ministers and military chiefs in the wake of the Vilnius summit. The proposed gatherings would carry the historic importance of being the first between four Nordic NATO states, serving as platforms to build a more unified defense bridge previously impossible given Finland's and Sweden's neutral status.