Speaking after talks with the Turkish and Swedish foreign ministers in Brussels, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Swedish membership was “within reach”. 

Stoltenberg said he would convene a meeting between Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson in Lithuania on Monday, on the eve of a NATO summit there, with the aim of bridging the gap between the two sides. 

He told reporters that he aims to get this agreed by the summit. Membership application must be approved by all NATO members. Turkey and Hungary have yet to clear Sweden’s bid. Stockholm has been working to join at next week’s NATO summit in Lithuania.

Turkey says Sweden harbours members of militant groups while Sweden says it has fulfilled the demands agreed on in negotiations with Turkey.