Sweden's NATO bid could face delay beyond Vilnius summit -Western official

Swedish and NATO flags are seen printed on paper this illustration taken April 13, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - NATO allies have accelerated efforts to convince Turkey to lift its opposition to Sweden joining NATO but whether they will have success before leaders hold a summit in Lithuania next month is unclear, a Western official said on Wednesday.

Sweden and Finland applied for NATO membership last year, ditching long-held policies of military non-alignment after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Applications for membership must be approved by all NATO members, but Turkey and Hungary have yet to clear Sweden's bid.