US Pushes for Sweden's NATO Membership Before July Summit Despite Opposition

Turkey's opposition bloc, led by Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, is optimistic that a new Turkish parliament will approve Sweden's delayed accession to NATO before the alliance's next summit this summer if President Recep Tayyip Erdogan loses next month's election. Turkey is currently blocking Sweden's bid and demanding Stockholm crack down on Kurdish political and militant groups operating within its territory. Kılıçdaroğlu plans to revitalize Turkish relations with NATO allies and European Union partners, which have suffered under Erdogan's increasingly authoritarian rule.